A Second Chance: To Live Free
by Torra Jhed
Summary: The Continuation of A Second Chance: To Live Again - Severus Snape is alive and now tackling his new reality. Being a Headmaster, Parent, and Lover means things change. How's he going to handle life outside of everything he's ever known?
1. Prelude

**PRELUDE**

Severus stepped out into the early morning sunlight and inspected the practice arena he'd prepared in the back garden of Spinner's End the previous evening. With her magic being restored to her, he felt that Lottie needed to work quickly so that she could regain control of her abilities. They had been so busy in the last few weeks getting settled into the house on Spinner's End from having lived at Hogwarts that there'd scarcely been time to adjust to all the changes, let alone give her time to practice anything but the most basic of spells.

He was confident that she would practice on her own, but even by her own admission, she hadn't been good at defensive spells. He'd rather have had more than the few weeks between the end of the school year and his work for the start of term, but they would have to use what they had.

Because he'd bought the surrounding property to the house, Severus easily charmed the garden so that there was no risk of exposure to the wizarding world. Once he was happy with the set up of practice dummies and rebound walls where Lottie could work, he sat in one of the chaises and enjoyed the quiet.

At times, it seemed as everything happened at an accelerated pace lately, but Severus supposed that since the bulk of his life had been perfectly and rigidly controlled before, both by Voldemort and Dumbledore, that fate decided to catch him up on living itself. It wasn't an unpleasant reality just very different. He'd gone from single, miserable sod to having a family in what felt like the blink of an eye.

What was once a very regimented existence was now thrown into the blissful chaos of babies waking at all hours of the day and night, feedings and diaper changes, and two little girls that made him happier than anything he could have ever imagined.

Perhaps when he was a young teenager, he entertained the idea of having a family, but that was only with Lily and he never even considered it after their friendship fractured. That all changed when Camelot got pregnant and though the conception was accidental, the changes in himself and his outlook were by design. Now he felt as if he deserved to be a happy man, and in turn, he found a woman who loved him for who he was, blemishes of his character and all. It gave him a strange sort of tingle in his spine whenever he noticed her looking at him because she usually smiled when their eyes met. Unless, of course, it was morning and she hadn't had any coffee, then she would stumble around barely conscious and the best he could hope for was to have a baby or both handed to him.

Even as he thought about it, he heard the door open and his lover stepped out bringing the girls with her_._

"I wondered where you got to," she said, yawning. "It's amazing how quickly one gets used to having another body in bed. What are you doing out here?"

"Getting things ready for you to practice defensive spells," Severus said, sounding every bit the stern professor. "Once you are dressed and prepared for the day, that is."

"They just ate so how about you take these little girls from me so that I can have a few minutes sort out breakfast for their parents?" Lottie suggested, not yet awake enough to rise to the challenge of his tone.

As Lottie handed off their precious daughters, Severus smiled down at them and he was rewarded with coos and smiles from his little girls. He was suddenly seized with pain as Lily grabbed and pulled at a lock of his hair and he had no free hand with which to extract it.

He moved Audrina over to the bassinet that he set up underneath a canopy so that he could take his hair out of his daughter's hand which had made its way to her mouth with his hair still wrapped in her tiny fingers.

"That's disgusting, Sweetheart," he told her as he ran his hand through his hair to keep it away from his face and she laughed. He rubbed his finger on her velvety cheek and smiled. He got such a feeling of happiness hearing his daughters' voices.

After a few minutes of cuddling each of his girls, and then putting them into their swings which automatically started gently swinging as the baby sat upright in them. By the time they were settled, Lottie had returned, dressed and holding two cups of coffee as a tray floated behind her carrying their breakfast.

"Here," she said, handing him one of the mugs. The tray set itself on the table under the canopy next to the babies' swings. "I noticed you hadn't had breakfast either. Everything all right?"

"Just fine," he replied, taking one of the plates from the tray. "I want to work on defensive spells with you. Do you know how to do the Patronus Charm?"

Lottie shook her head taking her own dish and cutting into the pancake. "No, I was never able to perfect it."

"You will before I return to Hogwarts," Severus said with a grim resolution. He doubted she'd ever need it for defense but there was nothing wrong with being prepared. "With practice, I'm certain your rehabilitation will be fully successful."

"If you say, then it must be so," Lottie replied with a smile as she demolished her breakfast. Now that she was nursing two infants, running a household, and trying to reestablish herself in the Wizarding world, she almost couldn't get enough to eat.

Once they were sated, he pulled his wand and demonstrated the wand movements without actually performing the spell so that she could mimic them. She took her position next to him and repeated him as closely as she could.

"Straighten your shoulders," he instructed as he moved behind her and helped correct her stance. "Wand arm up."

Once he was pleased with her position, he whispered into her ear, "Remember to make the memory you choose as powerful and positive as you can recall. Let the power build into your whole being before you release it. Close your eyes and replay the memory in your mind and as soon as you can no longer hold it in, speak the incantation 'Expecto Patronum' and release the spell."

He stepped well away as she released, "Expecto Patronum!"

The end of her want glowed and a wisp of smoke dripped pathetically out of the tip.

"That was a good first attempt but you weren't ready," he instructed. "Let the memory absolutely fill your mind. Let me show you."

Severus brought up his wand and made the deliberate movements while he thought of the memory that made him happiest. The mental image of his twins when he first held them together filled his mind and he actually felt an ache in his heart from the happiness it gave him.

He spoke clearly and the familiar white mist erupted from his wand, but he didn't recognize the form. His doe was not there. He inspected the thin winged thestral that dipped his head in acknowledgment of his master. Unlike its physical counterpart, Severus' newly formed patronus was silvery and mist-like.

"He's beautiful," Lottie commented as Severus sent it on its way.

"He's new," Severus said, matter of factly. "It's known to happen after a great change in one's life. I suppose I should not have been surprised. My life has gone through many great changes."

"What do you mean? Why would a Patronus change, and why yours, now?" Lottie asked, genuinely curious as to how the form of the charm worked.

"My previous animal was a doe," Severus said. He motioned for her to follow him as he sat for a few minutes. "She was tied to my love for Lily. While I'll always have a very special place in my heart for her, I'm not so mired in a guilty love for the unattainable that I suppose I rather outgrew the doe."

"A thestral does seem to suit you," Lottie decided after a moment. "After all, you've faced death and overcome it already. And much like the thestral, you're rather a lot more gentle than you appear."

Severus held his hand out to her and helped her stand. His ears had gone scarlet as he said, "Enough. Come, now. It's time for you to try again."

Lottie brandished her wand once more and tried the spell again. She let her mind fill with the memory she'd chosen and waited until she felt the magic about ready to burst from her chest. She then let the spell go with a forceful "Expecto Patronum" which shot out a violent purple stream of light that lifted her off her feet and she landed on her back. Severus moved swiftly to her side and checked her after she didn't move for a few seconds. She came to after a bit and he helped her sit up as she cleared her head.

"Ouch."

Severus smiled. "Do you suppose you could get the spell somewhere in between?"

She dusted herself off and got up. "Yeah, I think so. I'll try again."

"Now try to let loose just a moment before you did last time," Severus instructed. He stepped back, giving her room to perform the charm.

She again raised her wand, filled her memory and then sent the spell out with a forceful, yet restrained, "Expecto Patronum!"

The mist erupted from her wand and after a moment of swirling around formed into a great silvery phoenix that rose high in the air and then swooped down over them before settling itself over her head. Lottie brushed some hair from her face as she looked up at it.

"Wow. I never would have expected that," she said.

Severus wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her and said, "It fits you perfectly."

He couldn't have imagined a more appropriate Patronus for her. He was not the only one that stared into the face of death and lived despite it. With the loss and then return of her soul, she had been reborn, like the phoenix that now represented her in magical form.

"Do you really think so?" she asked as she finally sent it on its way.

"No," Severus replied as he released her and went to pick up Audrina, who had begun fussing. "I know so."


	2. I'll Be Home for Christmas

**Chapter 1: I'll Be Home for Christmas**

Severus sat back in his chair and groaned as he stretched, having finished the last of his work before the Christmas holidays. The students left for home on the train that morning and those few who remained behind were in the care of the heads of their respective houses. Now it was time for him to go home. He was anxious to see his girls and their mother.

The last two weeks of the fall term had kept him at Hogwarts full time and he missed them greatly. At one point, he considered moving them back to the school but it didn't seem a wise move to keep uprooting the family now that they'd finally gotten settled into their own home. He looked at the photograph on his desk of him with the girls when they were first born and smiled.

"You seem happy, Severus," Albus Dumbledore's portrait commented. "You'll be leaving soon, won't you?"

"Yes I am," Severus replied simply, sliding his ledger into his desk drawer. "There's no reason for me to remain behind for the duration of the Christmas break."

"The Headmaster traditionally remains at Hogwarts," Phineas Nigellus Black offered.

"Not this time," Severus said. "Minerva is perfectly capable of handling anything that should arise."

"You have no respect for your post," Black opined, nastily.

Severus said nothing. It was a futile waste of time to argue with the imprinted memories of headmasters past and it was just a variation of their usual gripe when he left the school to see his family.

"Severus, we only want what is best for Hogwarts," Albus said in a much gentler tone than he'd ever used in life when talking to Severus. "Are you certain you must leave?"

"Were I truly needed, I would not leave," Severus said. "As it is, I am not and my family does need me."

"Hogwarts' headmaster is always needed to be at its service," Black snorted. "You should have never gotten involved with a woman in the first place."

"Might I remind you that you had four children of your own, Black," Severus said.

"Yes, but I didn't have time to waste on coddling them. That was their _mother's _job," Black taunted.

"Christmas holiday at Hogwarts will happen whether a Headmaster is here or not. My daughters are only going to have one first Christmas ever and I have no intention of missing it," Severus finally growled as he stood. He picked up his satchel from next to the door. "You all may continue this discussion on your own as it holds little interest to me."

Severus closed the door behind him, leaving the portraits to their conversation. Just as he started down the stairs, Minerva was on her way up.

"Severus, I'm glad I caught you before you left," she said.

"I was just on my way to the staff room to take the Floo home," he answered. "I told Camelot to expect me by seven o'clock. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Minerva said. "In past years, I know you didn't care for it but I wanted to wish you and your family a Happy Christmas."

Severus smiled. "Thank you, Minerva. I believe it will be. Camelot was definitely looking forward to it when I saw her last and to be honest, I am as well."

Minerva changed direction to walk with alongside of him. "When will you return?"

"The day before term resumes," Severus replied. "I will be only a fire call away if an emergency should arise."

"I'm certain that won't be necessary," Minerva said. "I did have a little something to send along for the twins, if you don't mind."

"Even if I did mind, it would be too late to do anything about it now, wouldn't it?" Severus replied easily, offering his arm to the aging Transfiguration professor.

He noticed recently that Minerva's gait had slowed and she'd reverted to using her cane which she'd needed from time to time since she'd been injured during Umbridge's tenure as Headmistress, only now it seemed that she needed it more often than not.

They walked quietly the rest of the way to the staff room and Minerva handed the packages over that she'd prepared for his daughters and a bottle of mulled wine that she thought he and Lottie might enjoy one evening. Severus stowed the presents in his satchel and moved into the floo. He released the handful of powder before clearly speaking his destination that sent him reeling toward his home.

Upon allowing his vision to clear for a brief moment, Severus stepped out from the hearth and into his own brightly lit sitting room that was colorfully decorated for Christmas as he'd never before seen Spinner's End in his lifetime, not even when he was a boy.

The elder of his daughters by three minutes, Audrina, sat in the activity chair that her mother had dubbed the 'busy seat', playing with the bobbles that kept her attention by spinning, jiggling and bouncing before her. As the seven month old girl saw her father stepping into the room, Audy bounced up and down several times in excitement.

Severus picked Audrina up from her seat and gave her a kiss. It was not usual for one of the babies to be alone in a room without their mother.

"Where's Mummy? Let's go find her, shall we?" Severus said to his little girl. Naturally, he didn't expect an answer from her but he loved the look on her face when he talked to her. He then called as he walked up the stairs. "Camelot?"

There was no immediate answer but the noise coming from the nursery gave him all the clues he needed to find his partner. Unfortunately, it was not Lottie he found, but Harry Potter waiting while the change table did the cleaning up work.

"Hello, Severus," the young man said as he took Lily from the table. "Mum's not here right now."

"I can plainly see that. Where is she?" he asked. Severus was well used to Harry calling Lottie 'mum' by this point.

"I'm not sure. She called me last night and asked if I would look after the twins for the afternoon and since I'm on leave from training these next two weeks for Christmas and we're not taking Ron out for his stag do until nine, I said yes," Harry answered. "She thought she'd be back by the time you got home but it seems she's running late."

"I'm going to find her," Severus said, sounding irritated. The last thing he wanted to do after coming home from being away is run around all over the country. That woman could find trouble in the damnedest places, in his opinion. He handed Audrina to Harry and stormed down the stairs toward the front door.

Without looking, he threw open the door and rushed out, knocking Camelot down and scattering her shopping onto the walk.

"Oi! Mind the speed limit!" she said, picking herself up from the ground. She then began picking up the groceries that had rolled all over. "Where are you headed in such a hurry?"

"I was going to look for you," Severus said. "Harry said you were supposed to be back before now."

"I got caught up in errands," Lottie replied. "The shops are a bit mad this time of year."

"What did you need that couldn't have been sent for?" Severus groused, not yet ready to be relieved that he no longer had to go looking for her.

Given all that had happened, Severus had tried to make it so that everything they needed for running the household would be delivered by owl or elf rather than requiring her to venture out where the wards could not protect her.

Lottie picked up the last of the fallen shopping and headed inside to take off her coat. "I see you've come home in a fine mood," Lottie replied shortly. "Not everything in life can be brought here, you know."

"Name one thing that I neglected to ensure for you," Severus demanded, accusingly. He wanted to know just _what _was so bloody important that she left their children without their mother for hours and went off traipsing through the muggle world.

"You didn't neglect anything, Severus," Lottie said, moving the groceries to the kitchen. "You've thought of just _everything _we need here."

"Then why did you go out?" Severus asked, his voice still edged with irritation. If nothing was wanting and she never went out without the twins before, he wanted to know what had drawn her away from the safety of their home.

"I'm not very inclined to discuss it with you just now," Lottie said, slamming the bags on the table. "I want to go see my girls."

"Lily and Audy are with Harry right now," Severus said, grabbing her. "Where did you go?"

Lottie easily realized that she could not get out of his grasp easily and he was never able to be dissuaded when he'd been frightened about something. Not that he would ever admit to being frightened by anything, mind, but she was well aware that his grumbling and acerbic tone was how it manifested.

"I received a letter two days ago from the Department of Refugee Assistance," Lottie explained, her tone softening with the realization that it was she that was being unreasonable since she rarely went anywhere and never without her children. "As far as the muggle world is concerned, Camelot Karas nee Nikos is as dead as her husband and daughter but I wanted to see the grave site for myself. I went to say goodbye, Severus."

"Why couldn't you just say that to begin with?" Severus said, releasing her arm.

"Because you were being a god damned grouch," Lottie replied, filling the tea kettle and setting it on the stove. He knew her posture well enough to know that the gentle shaking of her shoulders and the sniffs meant that she was allowing tears to fall.

Severus moved behind her and kissed her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I apologize for being cross. Are you alright, Felicia?" he whispered in her ear.

She wiped her eyes and nodded. She wasn't yet in a mood to talk about the visit so she took a deep breath and waited a moment before she said, "Honestly, Severus, I had meant to be home well before you got here. Only, as I was coming home, I realized that I wanted to make something special to celebrate your anniversary and didn't consider that the market would be so very busy."

"My what?" Severus asked letting her move away from the stove.

"Tomorrow will be one year since you emerged from the coma," Lottie said as she shook off the melancholy of her day and offered him a much greater smile than she genuinely felt. "I could hardly call it a birthday but it needed some sort of name."

Severus considered that for a moment. That so much happened in one year that it felt much longer often surprised him, but having an official date made him appreciate the reality of it.

"I suppose anniversary is a good enough term for it," he finally said. He then went to the cupboard and took out two wine glasses and summoned the bottle that Minerva had given him from his belongings. He handed her a glass after warming the wine with a spell. "I think you'd best have something a little stronger. Drink this and I'll get the girls. We can talk more a little later."

Severus went upstairs where Harry was sitting in the nursery playing with the twins on the floor. Currently, the two babies were lying on their backs while he tickled each one with one hand causing great peals of enormous laughter from the twins. Once they were laughed out, Severus stepped in and picked up Lilianna and Harry stood up, bringing Audrina with him.

"Thank you for looking after the girls," Severus said, somewhat stiffly. He wasn't sure if the young man had heard their exchange but neither of them were trying to be quiet.

"I enjoyed spending time with them," Harry admitted. "They're growing so fast that they seem almost like different babies than they were two months ago when I saw them."

'It seems like that after only two weeks,' Severus thought. He cleared his mind and replied, "You should visit more often then. I'm sure Camelot would appreciate it. She thinks of you quite as one of her own, as you well know."

"I know she does," Harry said. "Don't you mind? When I was young, I recall believing at one time, you did."

"Of course not," Severus said. "We all have our personality quirks and I've learned to appreciate yours and Camelot's as much as she has learned to tolerate mine. For better or worse, we all are what we are."

"Couldn't have just said that it makes us a family, could you?" Lottie said as she entered the hallway to take her daughter from Harry. She kissed his cheek as she did. "Thank you so much for looking after the girls today. It was a great help."

"I enjoyed doing it," Harry replied, giving her a hug. "Hermione and Ron are looking forward to seeing you at the wedding tomorrow. Kreacher's set to babysit so you don't have to worry about anything. He's pretty excited to come."

"We'll be there," Severus said, recalling the invitation that arrived in the post. "Go on with you. I'm sure you've better things to be doing on a Friday night than lurking about here."

"You're right about that," Harry said. "The bachelor party starts in an hour."

Harry grabbed his coat and Lottie walked him to the door while Severus took Lily into the sitting room to his favorite chair where he bounced his little girl gently as she smiled and babbled at her "Dadadadada" as she called him. Obviously whatever she was telling him was of vast importance to her as her tiny brow furrowed in a way that made him think of Lottie when she concentrated on something.

Lottie passed through with Audrina, swooping her around as if the baby were flying which resulted in huge belly laughs. Severus could see on her face that Lottie was trying to keep a happy countenance but she was pale, save for the flush in her cheeks from the wine, and the events of the day had obviously taken their toll. Finally, Lottie put the baby on the floor so that she could show off her new crawling skills for her father.

"Have you had dinner?" Lottie asked, watching Audy as she moved ever closer to Severus using her commando crawling style.

"No," Severus replied as he set Lily on the floor next to her sister to play, stroked Audy's hair and moved over to the sofa to sit next to Lottie. He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her into an embrace. "Let's not worry about that right now. This must've been a trying day for you. Don't keep it all bottled up. Tell me what you're feeling."

Lottie rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was the one thing that calmed her quickly. She stayed still for a moment before answering, "Exhausted. I've felt every emotion I think possible but what was hardest of all, was when a woman at the graveyard asked my name and if I knew the family. In the very neighborhood where I lived and worked, no one knew me. The spell has changed what people think they remember. It's as if I don't know who I am anymore."

"You are still yourself, Camelot. It's the rest of the world that's gone barmy," he said gently. "So what did you tell the woman in the graveyard?"

"I told her that I was Felicia Snape," Lottie said. She could feel him grinning at her. "Don't laugh; it was the first thing I thought of."

"I'm not laughing," Severus said. "I'm rather satisfied that you felt comfortable using my name."

He felt a tiny pair of hands tugging on his trouser leg as Lily pulled herself into a standing position and wobbled precariously. Audy then began to pat her hand on his foot, blowing raspberries and babbling.

Lottie reached over and picked up Lily while Severus lifted Audrina and settled her in his lap. The girls babbled and played with their parents' attention for a long while before the first signs of being ready for sleep presented itself with Lily yawning and rubbing her eyes and Audy quickly followed suit.

After putting their two little girls to bed, Severus picked Lottie up and carried her across the hall to their own bedroom. He was careful in dropping her onto the bed and sitting next to her.

"Go have a bath and I'll sort out dinner," he said, giving her a kiss. "You don't look well at all. I'll wager you haven't been getting near enough rest and skipping meals again."

He didn't wait for her to answer as he went to the kitchen and pulled a pan of lasagna from the refrigerator. Living on his own for so many years, Severus had become a fair cook but he'd never been particularly adventurous in his meals. Lottie was much more continental in her recipes, taking dishes from all over Europe and recreating them in their own kitchen. Severus was certain that he'd gained two full stone since they'd set up their living arrangements.

He heard the water in the bathtub start as he put the pan in the oven and turned it up to heat. He prepared a quick green salad to have with their meal and the wine was already open and breathing.

Once he had things sorted out, Severus went back to the master suite and quietly opened the bathroom door to peek in. Lottie was up to her neck in hot bubbly water as her head rested on her arm on the back of the claw foot tub.

He quietly crept next to the tub and was about to steal a kiss when he felt her wand beneath his chin.

"Well played," he said, carefully laying his hand atop hers as he moved the wand aside. "But I could have had you from a distance."

"You're not THAT well endowed," she replied with a naughty smile.

"Good lord, Woman," he laughed. "You know that's not what I meant. Someone with ill intentions could have killed you from meters away."

"Yes, they could have at that," Lottie said. She sat up and put her wand on the table next to the tub. "I keep as vigilant as possible, Severus, but if someone were truly determined to kill me, they would probably succeed at some point. Can't live my life worrying about those possibilities."

She stepped out of the tub and he opened the towel she'd put out, captured her within it as he drew her close and kissed her. Though he lived a long life of solitude, he willingly became spoiled by having her near and two weeks apart seemed an eternity. She returned his affections willingly and passionately but they were suddenly interrupted by a loud rumble from her stomach which caused them both to laugh.

"Very well," he said, releasing her from her fluffy cotton imprisonment. "Get dressed. Dinner should be nearly ready."

Severus left her and went down to the dining room where he shrunk the large formal dining table down to an intimate two person setting. He'd just lit the candles when Lottie walked in wearing a light blue satin-like gown that stopped just above her ankles exposing her slippered feet. He couldn't help but notice the lace that rested against her bosom and the soft tulle covering atop it. Her figure was nearly visible beneath the garment. It was obviously a garment made by muggles.

"What are you wearing?" he asked, looking her over as he immediately decided that she was insane if she thought he was ever going to let her leave the house looking practically naked.

"It's a peignoir set," Lottie answered. "I thought you might enjoy it. What's the matter? Not the right color? They didn't have one in green."

"What in Merlin's name is a peignoir? You weren't planning on wearing that to the wedding, were you?" he demanded.

Lottie smiled. "This is designed for a night in, not out, Severus."

"Then I like it very much," Severus replied with a smile. They were quiet during dinner and chatted a little over nothing of great importance.

Once they were sated and the dishes were sent to the kitchen for cleaning, they retired to their bedroom which hadn't seen use in the last two weeks.

Lottie had chosen to sleep either in the rocking chair in the nursery or on the sofa in the study where she enjoyed spending some of her non-mummy time which was very infrequent. She decided early on that she didn't much like staying in their room alone.

They spent some time just enjoying one another in their embrace and company and both fell asleep entwined together. Severus hadn't even bothered to change clothes.

* * *

**Author's Note: Standard disclaimers and all that jazz. If I was JKR, why would I be posting here for free, right? Major shout out to Lady Ruatha, my fabulous editor. **

**Just a Note: There was a small disagreement between my most awesome editor and I about which way using the Floo works for travel. It seems that in the movies, they speak the destination THEN throw the powder but in the books, it's chuck in the powder and then speak. I've kept it as the books but if I ever do it the other way around, just go with it, k? :)  
**

******As always, I hope you enjoy my writing, please leave a review for me since they are the only currency I get for writing.**


	3. Do You Hear What I Hear?

**Chapter 2: Do You Hear What I Hear**

The church where Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley were being married was richly decorated in roses of red and yellow. It was also a church that welcomed magic and muggles into their midst. The guests began filtering in at five o'clock as the wedding was set for six. Hermione just finished the final touches on her hair as her mother fastened the last button on the back of her gown. She looked at her daughter in the mirror.

It had taken Hermione months to locate her parents in Australia after the war. When she reversed the memory charm, she received a well-deserved scolding but they were just happy to have their little girl in their lives once again.

"Finished," Mrs. Granger said, sniffing just a little and dabbing her eyes. "You look beautiful, Sweetheart."

"Thanks, Mum," Hermione replied turning to hug her mother. "Don't cry. If you do, I'll start too."

Mrs. Granger laughed a little and dabbed at her eyes. "We can't have that. Your makeup will run. It seems like just yesterday that you were dressing up in my shoes and jewelry, saying that you were being Mummy. Now you are all grown up and going off to live your own life married and into a world Daddy and I will never fully understand."

"I'm not leaving you forever, Mum," Hermione said. "Ron and I will only be away on our honeymoon for two weeks after Christmas. Of course, my career will be in the magical world but Ron and I have agreed to live exposed to both worlds. Besides, Mr. Weasley can't wait to visit your practice and learn about dentistry."

There was a knock on the door and her bridesmaids walked in. Luna and Fleur wore the red bridesmaid gown while Ginny, Angelina and Alicia Spinnet wore yellow. They assisted Hermione in putting on her veil so that her mother could take her place in the pew as the guests were arriving quickly.

Precisely at six o'clock, the organ began the traditional wedding march as Hermione, escorted by her father, walked down the long aisle. She looked to the pews and saw a mass of friends, family, and mentors there to witness the most monumental day of her life. Even Professor McGonagall managed to get away from Hogwarts for one evening to attend. Not even having fought in the war compared to what this day meant to her in her mind. This day was about her and Ron and their life together. It was a nearly overwhelming prospect.

She saw Ron dressed in a new set of fine formal robes at the front of the altar with Harry as his best man and his brothers served as groomsmen stood youngest to eldest. Next to George, on an easel, sat an enlarged photograph of Fred taken at Bill and Fleur's wedding reception. He was smiling and held up a sign that read 'Shop at Weasley's' which was confiscated by his mother's hand reaching in from the side of the frame.

Ron discussed the idea with Hermione well in advance of the wedding but she already knew that he wanted all of his brothers to be with him. Mrs. Weasley cried openly when they told the family of their decision and George hugged his younger brother with genuine affection. They chose that particular photo after much deliberation because it was the first to make them all laugh at the same time. Others had caused one or another of the family to tear up but that image was their Freddy just as they knew him in life.

By the time she and her father reached Ron and his brothers at the altar, Hermione's hands trembled but her father leaned down, kissed her on the cheek, shook Ron's hand, and gave his only daughter to him. The ceremony was short and provided the handfasting that bound one to the other that would preside over their lives as equal partners.

The minister stood before the young couple and spoke for a short time on the permanence of marriage. He then looked to Ron.

"Do you, Ronald Bilius Weasley, take Hermione to be your wife. To be her constant friend, her partner in life, and her true love? To love her without reservation, honor and respect her, protect her from harm, comfort her in times of distress, and to grow with her in mind and spirit?"

Ron took in a deep breath and nearly shouted, "I WILL!"

There was a small murmur of amusement around the room. The minister then turned to Hermione.

"Do you, Hermione Jean Granger, take Ronald to be your husband? To be his constant friend, his partner in life, and his true love? To love him without reservation, honor and respect him, protect him from harm, comfort him in times of distress, and to grow with him in mind and spirit?"

With equal affirmation, though much quieter and a little more emotion, she replied, "I will!"

With the wave of his wand that ceremoniously sent a golden light around the young couple's hands and bound them together, the minister then made his final pronouncements. "Now you are bound one to the other with a tie not easy to break. Take the time of binding to learn what you need to know: to grow in wisdom and love, that your marriage will be strong, that your love will last in this life and beyond."

The light then circled Ron and Hermione before creating a burst of light that went around the room and then dissipated. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present Mister and Missus Ronald Weasley."

There were cheers and the merriment was loud. They moved down the aisle and then to the reception.

The reception was held in a nearby hall that could fit the large number of attendees. The band and bar were set up on opposite sides of the facility to accommodate everyone easily.

Severus felt out of place at the reception. While he was a member of the now defunct Order of the Phoenix to the end, he couldn't say he was really friends with any of them. He believed that it was more Camelot's friendship with them that secured an invitation. He was certain that he would not have been missed had he not attended.

He sat at a table that was not far from the dancing floor. He hadn't danced in years and had little inclination to make a fool of himself publicly. Camelot sat with him and conversed pleasantly with those who came by and was even enticed onto the dance floor by Harry. It pleased Severus enough to watch as she enjoyed herself since she'd already had a rough few weeks on her own with the girls and she'd looked so unwell when he returned home the previous night. He didn't mind sitting alone while she socialized and offered merry compliments to those who benefited by them.

"So you came, after all," Charlie Weasley said as he sat across from Severus and set his champagne glass down. "Lottie must've dragged you here kicking and screaming."

"Hardly, Mister Weasley," Severus replied. "It was a mutually agreed upon acceptance of the invitation."

"You two hitched yet?" Charlie asked bluntly. It was clear that the man was already drunk.

"Explain your term," Severus said cooly. He wanted to be certain of its meaning before answering.

"Are you married yet?" Charlie explained.

"We have made no formal vows as yet," Severus answered. He bristled at the overfamiliar fashion that he was being spoken to but restrained the urge to lash out since he was a guest.

Charlie's glass refilled itself and he took a drink. "You know, I never woulda pegged you for the unconventional sort. Figured you would have all the T's dotted and I's crossed... wrapped it up tight as you can."

Severus was quickly reaching the point where he might have blown up so he stood to join the circle of people on the dance floor who were witnessing some little ritual or another. If he were being honest with himself, Severus had thought before that they should have gotten married when they found out she was pregnant, but back then, she couldn't give free consent because of her condition. Then afterward, they seemed to be so busy with the twins, her rehabilitation, moving into the new house, and his job to even talk about it.

He attempted to make his way toward Lottie with whom he planned to leave but was stopped when he reached out toward her but ended up taking possession of a silk garter instead. He was baffled by the catcalls and applause for a moment until he recalled the ritual as signifying that he would be the next bachelor to marry. Lottie was hiding a laugh behind her hands and he turned away quickly, returning to his seat.

Lottie attempted to follow him but was stopped by Charlie Weasley, who spun her around and whispered something in her ear.

"Go sober up, Charlie. That would never happen and you know it. We like the same thing," she chuckled in response to whatever Charlie whispered to her. Severus didn't like that she sounded amused by whatever suggestion Weasley made to her and his mind raced to what sort of indecent things had been said.

Lottie disengaged herself from Charlie's grasp and moved quickly over to her place at the table next to Severus. She was still grinning as she picked up the garter that Severus had thrown on the table.

"You, Sir, forgot to duck," she teased, twirling the garter on her finger.

"I am going home," he announced, as he grabbed the garter from her hand and roughly threw it back on the table.

"All right," Lottie said, standing. "Let's just say goodbye and we can go."

Severus shook his head.

"No, you stay. You're having a good time," he replied sarcastically. "Enjoy your time with your classmates. You obviously have more in common with them."

"Wait..." Lottie began but he turned and left the reception hall. Bill and Fleur approached her as Severus left.

"What is wrong?" Fleur asked bluntly.

"He's not feeling very well," Lottie lied. "I told him that I'd make our goodbyes and follow directly."

"Hope it wasn't Charlie that made him unwell," Bill said. "He's drunk and being a prat. I saw them talking a little while ago."

"It couldn't be. Severus isn't that easily upset over mere words," Lottie said. "It's just been a very busy time. With work and getting ready for the girls' first Christmas, it's been rather mad and he's missed Lily and Audy, I'm sure. A bit of rest and lots of time with the girls will put him right quicker than any medicine invented. Excuse me, I want to say goodbye to Ron and Hermione and wish them well."

As soon as he was out of sight, Severus disapparated back to Spinner's End. Once he was at the end of the street, Severus took his time in walking back to the house. The girls were looked after by Kreacher so he had no need of rushing. He needed time to clear his head and figure out why he was so irritated.

If he were being honest with himself, he really didn't have a right to be upset with anyone but himself. He never used to let details slide and marriage was a big detail to let fall to the wayside. She never brought it up but surely she wanted it. After all, isn't that what all women want? He couldn't understand how he possibly missed it.

The full moon sat high in the sky by the time he got home from his walk and the living room lights were ablaze. He saw Lottie sitting by the window looking out as she held one of the girls. From his distance, he couldn't tell which one. As soon as she spied him from the window, she handed the baby off to someone, likely Kreacher, and moved out of sight. A moment later, she was at the door, pale and still dressed in the silk robes she wore to the wedding, though she'd taken her shoes off.

"Severus," she said relieved that he was safe, "what happened? Are you alright? I came back here thinking you'd be home."

He waved her off as he entered the house and immediately went into the study. He locked the door behind himself as he had no desire to be disturbed. He needed time to think. He ignored the knock at the door and opened the liquor cabinet.

After a moment, he heard Lottie walking up the stairs and then the house was quiet. He started a fire in the hearth and stared morbidly at it for some time. He then began to go through his stacks of books and magazines that he'd neglected for ages. They hadn't seemed so important now that he had a family and he spent the majority of his time with them but in the study, with a quiet house to boot, he started reading obsessively over what he'd been missing in his field. The research brought him little pleasure.

Throughout the night, he heard some slight noises overhead in the nursery; a shuffling of feet to one crib or the other and the rocking chair's rhythmic motions against the floor. Those noises brought him back to the dilemma he was trying to forget and distracted him from his reading. He wanted to do right by his girls and their mother but how could he do that when she obviously wanted more than he could give. He saw that playful smile she gave Charlie Weasley. There was no way he could have missed it.

The rising sun did little to improve his mood and when the movement above became more animated, he knew that his daughters were awake. He was torn in his desire to be with his family, and how to deal with the mess he'd made of their lives. He prowled around the office and other than using the attached loo, did nothing but read obsessively. Not even the sounds of his little girls were able to pull him out of his mood. Several times he heard steps that stopped outside the door, but after a few minutes, she would walk away again, leaving him to himself. It was morning again when he finally heard a knock on the door to the hall.

"Severus?" Lottie called through the locked door. "I've made breakfast."

"I'm not hungry," he replied.

"I didn't mean to upset you about the garter, Severus. I was only teasing you. I'm sorry. Please... don't shut me out forever," Lottie said, her voice small and strained.

"I don't give a damn about that bloody garter," Severus growled at the door.

"Then what did I do?" she asked. She was hoarse; probably from crying, he figured.

"I need time please, Camelot."

He heard her walk away from the door after a long while. He sat in his chair and sleep overtook him. His dreams replayed the scenes from the night before. It was not restful for him and his slumber was interrupted by his daughters' cries.

After a brief moment and the cries did not stop, Severus opened the door and walked across to the sitting room. He rounded the doorway and saw his two little girls screaming as tears flowed down their tiny faces. They sat next to their mother who was unconscious on the floor. He levitated Lottie to the sofa and then went about calming his two daughters who had been more frightened by the noise when Lottie fainted than anything being wrong with either of them.

He set them into their playpen to be distracted with their toys so that he could see to Lottie. She was hot with fever, her pulse low, and her complexion pale. He went to their combined lab and pulled out a potion from the cupboard to lower her fever. He put the phial to her lips and tipped the contents into her mouth. She started to come around and swallowed the rest of the liquid. She looked up at him with watery, red rimmed eyes. Severus summoned a blanket from the linen cupboard and covered her.

"I am so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean..."

"You've done nothing to be sorry about," Severus told her, sounding gentle for the first time in days. "Just rest."

He deliberated for a few minutes before calling the Malfoy Clinic. Since the last integration of souls, the clinic changed from a medical facility into a rehabilitation center, employing witches and wizards to help teach the restored how to use their magic once more. There were, however, still healers there and he preferred that a professional check on her than going by his own assessment.

Draco insisted on visiting their home to check on Lottie, rather than moving her to the clinic. After a quick examination, he determined that she was suffering from Spotted Cat Flu and exhaustion.

"It should pass in a few days," Draco said. "Try not to overexert yourself. I would suggest that you give the babies a preventative potion."

Severus learned her looks well over the last many months and he'd have to stick her to the bed with a curse before she'd slow down. That much was obvious from the look on her face. Perhaps he would put a immobility curse on her to keep her in bed and take the time to tell her what he'd decided.

Once Draco left, Severus went back to the living room and Lottie was already on her feet and heading for the laundry room. He knew that she wasn't going to stop without a very good reason and he decided that now was as good a time as any.

"I've been thinking," he began, following her to the laundry room.

She'd enchanted a washer dryer machine to automatically start when the dirty washing was enough for a single load, which with two little babies didn't take long at all.

"What have you been thinking about?" she asked as she took a load of clean diapers from the dryer.

"We should get married as soon as possible," he said, letting out a breath that he wasn't aware that he'd been holding in. There, he said it and now it was only a matter of going to the registration department at the Ministry and having it finalized.

It was the last thing Lottie expected to hear from him at that particular moment. For two days he'd locked himself away, miserable as a troll with a toothache, and this was what he came up with?

"What?" she asked, carrying the diapers to the nursery. "Why?"

"Because it's the responsible thing to do," he replied. "I should have remedied this error earlier but that can not be changed."

"What's put this idea in your head? The wedding?" she asked with a wheeze. "I wouldn't have thought that made any difference."

"No," Severus said. "It was the realization that I hadn't done what I should have. Will you please come into the sitting room and rest? You're already ill."

"You were in a perfectly fine mood until the reception. What happened?" Lottie demanded, straining to maintain her composure.

"You aren't doing yourself any favors," Severus said, deflecting the question. "Come into the sitting room. You're ill."

"The girls need their lunch before nap," she replied, shoving the diapers into the drawer roughly before taking a tissue from her pocket to wipe her nose. "Answer my question. What happened at the reception?"

"Come sit down and I'll tell you," Severus said. "I'll get their lunch in a few minutes. They will not starve in that time."

Severus led her back to the sofa and sat down next to her. He wrapped the blanket around her, pulled her slippers off and settled her legs onto the sofa. Once she was resting again, he cleared his throat.

"I realized that people do talk about our situation, and one thing I will not have is anyone thinking that we are in some way morally deficient. Charles' behavior gave me cause to think..."

"Charlie?" she interrupted. She couldn't even believe what she was hearing. "Charlie Weasley was drunk and being his usual crass self. Why on Earth would you care three straws about what he had to say?"

Severus wasn't sure what to say next. He shouldn't have cared what Charlie said or how he behaved but it bothered him greatly. He decided to just come right out and say it. "Because I don't want to lose you to someone like that. You said yourself that you like the same thing in a relationship."

Her face twisted into a look that was somewhere between fury and laughter and he wasn't at all sure where she was about to land. "That would be MEN that we appreciate alike in a relationship. This is what you barricaded yourself in the study about for the last two days? I really ought to clout you one, Severus Snape! I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what I'd done wrong and here this whole time, it was Charlie Weasley? I can't believe..."

Severus took in what she said and before she landed on the fury that was surely on its way, he leaned in and kissed her.

"I apologize," he said softly. "I should have asked you about it first."

"Yes, you should have, you son of a bitch," she replied weakly. She began coughing and turned red as she tried to catch her breath. He patted her back to help get some of the phlegm out of her lungs.

"Should I take this to mean getting married isn't something you're wanting?" he asked which caused her a small chuckle.

"As long as you're only worried about what other people think, I will marry you on the day it rains up instead of down," Lottie declared. "Until you want it for yourself, I'll live with you, love you, raise the children with you, but I won't marry you."

"Then will you rest now?" he asked. "I'll take care of the girls. I should have been paying better attention. I knew you weren't looking well but I ignored it."

Lottie was about to say something when Audrina let out a "Mum mum mum" sound that she made by pressing the back of her hand to her mouth.

"Oh, are you hungry, Baby Girl?" Lottie asked, as she went to the playpen and lifted Audy out. "Shall we get your lunch then?"

"I will take care of giving these two their lunch," Severus said, picking up Lily, "but I wouldn't object if you helped get them into their chairs."

Once the girls were settled into their high chairs, he ejected Lottie from the kitchen and went to the fridge to see if there were any jars of food that needed finishing. He found strained beef and a jar of carrots, along with something called Tutti Fruiti waiting to be eaten.

He heated the jars with a charm to make them just the right temperature for little mouths to handle and set them aside as he filled their handled cups with juice, remembering to attach the restrictors so that the drinks would not spill all over. He wasn't unfamiliar with the ritual since feeding was often a two person job but he rarely tackled the task alone.

He started with the beef, giving the girls bites in turn. Lottie insisted that they not get in the habit of using the same utensils and cups as a matter of routine so each baby usually had her own. After a few bites of the beef, he moved onto the carrots which Audrina refused after the first taste, to which she made a face and ejected it from her mouth.

He chuckled as he wiped her face with a warm rag. "I do not blame you, Sweetheart. It looks vile."

He switched back and forth between the jars, cheating on the separate dishes issue, until both girls were full and the containers empty. He then set the two little cups before them that they could manage by the handles and let them drink what they wanted. He heard Lottie let out a loud snore from the living room which made him feel a little better that she was resting.

"It sounds like Mummy is as ready for nap time as you two are," he said, taking the girls from their high chairs and carrying them to the nursery. After a couple of quick diaper changes, courtesy of the enchanted table, and put into pyjamas, his two little girls settled down quickly and dozed.

He returned to the sitting room to check on his partner who was asleep and oblivious to the world around her, for the time being. He knew he was going to need some help around the house and with Lottie down, he needed to figure out some sort of strategy. First things first, he decided to take her up to their bedroom so that she could sleep. She did not stir in his arms. Her skin felt hot as he settled her into bed.

He then went to the potions cupboard and pulled another fever reducer and pepperup potion for her. He contemplated giving her a dreamless sleep as well but she would argue with him and he didn't want to deal with that.

As soon as she was fully resting, he quietly went downstairs to prepare for Christmas. He contemplated calling for help but quickly realized he didn't know who could. As it was, he didn't have to think about it long as there was a knock on the door.


	4. Oh Christmas Tree

**Chapter 3**

Harry stood at the door with Kreacher wrapped in a small cloak by his side. The small elf held a large basket in front of him. The young man's face was drawn into a serious, downhearted expression. Clearly something was bothering him or he would have been celebrating with the Weasleys.

"I thought Camelot gave you a key?" Severus asked as he opened the door.

"She did," Harry replied, sheepishly. "But since you weren't expecting me, I thought it would be rude to let myself in."

Severus moved aside to allow them entrance into the home. "Hang your things in the coat cupboard," he instructed needlessly. "How did you manage to give Kreacher a cloak without breaking the bond?"

"I didn't," Harry answered. "It's something between Mum and him. It doesn't count, I guess. Where is she anyway?"

"Upstairs sleeping," Severus said. "She's ill."

Kreacher pulled his cloak off and sent it to the hook before he shuffled out to the kitchen with his basket of food. "Kreacher will make good food to make Miss well," he declared.

"Well, that's him sorted out," Harry remarked. "What's Mum got?"

"Twins and the flu," Severus said as he led Harry into the sitting room and poured him a glass of wine. He hesitated for the briefest of moments, seeing instead of the man, a little knobby kneed, wild haired little boy that he first saw in the Great Hall.

Though he showed no outward betrayal of his thoughts, Severus gave himself a mental shake. Harry was an adult having survived a war. He handed the glass to the younger man.

"I thought you would be at the Weasley home for Christmas," Severus said. "What brought you here?"

"I was going to," Harry began and took a hefty swallow of the wine. "It was planned but..."

"But what?" Severus asked.

Harry originally came in search of Lottie's advice but as she was ill, he really didn't have much other choice. "Ginny and I had an argument. She thinks I'm pulling away from their family and she demanded that I make a choice of where I want to belong."

Severus took in the young man's words and digested them carefully. The Weasley family functioned as Harry's foster family for his entire adolescence. There was never any denial of that fact.

The last school year, however, a huge change occurred because of the curse he and Harry were hit with. Harry had been de-aged to a baby and had his memory altered so that the curse didn't drive him mad. Being in Camelot's care, she became "Mummy" to him for two solid months. Having received the nurturing care of a loving and attentive mother that he'd been deprived of by his aunt made a strong impact on his psyche.

During that time, Severus had made a promise to Harry. "You know you do not have to make a choice as far as we are concerned," Severus said. "As you are here now, however, you can assist in decorating for Christmas. You know where your room is."

"Yes, Sir," Harry replied, sounding relieved. He picked up his satchel and took it upstairs.

After they moved in, Severus made a few alterations to the house. He realized that eventually the girls would each need her own room and as Harry was one of Camelot's 'kids', he should feel that he had a place with them. He gave Harry a room at the far end of the hall, away from the nursery so that when he stayed, the babies would not wake him. He allowed the young man to decorate the room in whatever way he wished but was privately grateful that Harry chose blue and silver as colors for his room instead of Gryffindor scarlet and gold.

Severus also made a room for Kreacher just off the kitchen behind the oven, at the elf's own request. When asked where he would like his space, Kreacher claimed to enjoy the warmth that came from the oven on his old bones so Severus indulged the request more to please Camelot than anything else. He scaled everything in the apartment down to fit the elf after extracting a promise that no one outside of the house ever be told of his actions.

Severus still needed to maintain his reputation outside of the family, after all. He couldn't work at Hogwarts effectively if the students thought he would be like Dumbledore, handing out sweets and making nonsensical speeches. He respected the man, but Severus would be damned if he'd start acting like him. Kreacher kept his word and, in fact, started a small story with his brother at Hogwarts about Snape's harshness that would frighten any cocky first years.

For now, the aged elf hummed to himself in the kitchen as he made soup. Harry returned to the sitting room carrying Lily with him.

"Just peeked my head in and saw this little monkey girl trying to stand up in her cot," Harry said with a grin. "Good thing she's too little to try climbing out."

"It will be some time before that's a concern," Severus said. "Besides, Camelot put an anti-climbing charm on the cots. If one of them takes a notion to climb, the sides get longer."

"That's a really clever idea," Harry replied, handing Lily over to Severus. "How'd she come up with it?"

"From watching after a little monkey boy who was quite an adept escape artist," Severus deadpanned, glad that Harry had asked. "Professor Flitwick cast it for her, of course, but at the end of the day, you were the reason for its creation."

Harry turned bright scarlet as Severus settled Lily to play in her activity chair. He wondered why parents, even surrogate ones, lived to embarrass their kids.

"What enchantments do you want to start with?" Harry asked, hoping to draw the conversation away from his childish antics. "Or perhaps we should get a tree first?"

"I will concede to your judgement," Severus said. "I haven't much experience with decorating."

"Since Kreacher is here and can take care of Mum, maybe we could take Lily with us. I saw a vendor not far from here, selling trees at a church. Or you could buy a plastic one from a department store."

"Why on Earth would anyone make a plastic tree?" Severus asked.

"My aunt had one since she didn't like needles falling onto her floors," Harry answered.

"Petunia always was rather strange," Severus mused.

It took Harry several minutes before he could stop laughing. His whole life, he'd been told he was the weird one, the freak. If she heard herself called strange, she might not ever recover. Little Lily, seeing her brother laugh, decided to laugh with him even though she had no idea what was funny.

"Are you quite finished?" Severus asked, after Harry's laughs had slowed to mere chuckles.

"Sorry, you just caught me off guard," Harry answered. "How are we going to get it home?"

"We'll use the car," Severus said as he got Lily dressed in a snowsuit. "Muggles might think it odd if we tried carrying it home."

Harry instructed Kreacher to look after Audrina when she woke from her nap and to see to whatever Lottie needed while they were gone. After ensuring things were taken care of, Severus picked up the nappy sack and put it in the boot of the car. He wouldn't carry it but it was a good idea to have it on hand.

He followed Harry's directions to the church where trees were being sold for a charity that helped the less fortunate, whoever they were. Severus carried Lily as he didn't want to be bothered with getting the stroller. They roamed around the rows of trees and Severus let the baby touch a few of the softer needles that wouldn't prick her. Finally, Harry found a large spruce that would fill the front window quite well.

"What do you think of this one?" Harry asked.

"That will be fine," Severus said as he suddenly felt something warm and wet seeping into his arm and shirt as Lily started crying. He looked to see a filthy brown liquid dripping off the baby as she started to get red faced. The disgust he felt and desire to hold his daughter as far away from him as possible was tempered by the fact that he was in public among muggles and that his baby was in distress.

"I'll take care of the tree," Harry offered as Severus walked away and made a beeline for the car.

"I bet it was those damn carrots," Severus muttered miserably. He opened the boot of the car and laid the very unhappy baby down. Quickly, he looked around to see if anyone was nearby.

A small group of gray haired ladies who were serving hot cocoa nearby cast sympathetic glances as he walked by but could not see anything going on in the car from where they were. He stripped off the snowsuit and gagged. He made a great show of pulling out several wipes from the nappy sack for the benefit of the nosy old ladies. A quick spell took away the extreme smell and filth from his little girl.

Once Lily was charmed clean and her clothes changed, Severus did the same to himself, though he left an apparent wet spot on his shirt for the benefit of the muggles.

'Next year,' he silently decided, 'I'm buying a plastic tree.'

He quickly paid for the tree and could not drive home fast enough. The baby had filled another diaper and the car stank to high heaven. He nearly screeched to a stop in front of the house where Lottie was at the door in an instant. She grabbed Lily from her car seat and ran her back into the house. He was unsure as to why she was at the door waiting but he was not unhappy at having the wretched task of baby cleaning taken from him.

With a swish of his wand, the ropes that bound the tree to his car disengaged and the tree floated into the house where it could be set up. Severus went into the living room where Audrina happily played with a teething ring in her seat and looked wide eyed and excited at the floating tree as it was something she'd never seen before. He heard Lottie talking to Lily as he walked in.

"Just a little bit more, Sweetheart," she cooed at her daughter. "There we are. Now your tummy will feel much better. Mummy is so sorry, Lily."

Severus was disinclined to investigate since it would mean awful infant messes that he simply did not like. He instead busied himself with setting the tree right. After a few moments, Lottie emerged with Lily and set her in her own seat to play.

"What happened?" Severus asked. "She's been acting as if a dam had burst."

"I am so sorry, Severus," she began, as her lip trembled. "I mislabeled the babies' food jars when I was making it. Instead of the strained beef, they had a full pot of plum puree. I gave them a potion so things should calm down."

It was an understandable mistake as the poor woman had been so ill and exhausted, and considering that he was the one that fed it to the girls, he could not assign her all the blame. Given how ridiculous he must have looked changing Lily in the boot of his car, the low rumble in his chest quickly turned into laughter as he gave Lottie an affectionate squeeze. His amusement only served to fray her nerves further.

"He's lost it," Harry said as he handed over the nappy sack to Lottie.

"I always believed that there was nothing I could not plan for. I'm learning daily that it isn't so. Don't be upset over it, Felicia," he said, finally calming enough to speak. "The girls are not injured and the mistake was easily remedied."

"Felicia?" Harry questioned having never heard the nickname before. "That's a little unsettling. I never thought that Severus Snape would use a nickname for anyone."

"I've never liked my name," she said, wiping her eyes. "It's just a horrid name."

"Oh, I think it's a pretty, unique name for a person," Harry replied.

"Until one has to spend their adolescence being ridiculed," Lottie explained, her upset over the mislabeled baby food starting to calm. "I lived a good portion of my formative years being called 'Camel Toe' or being asked if I had lots of camels."

"One of the inevitable dangers for those of us with unusual names," Severus added. "Thank the fates that your own parents had the intelligence to give you a conventional name."

"How did you get your name?" Harry asked, emboldened by the familial feel of the evening.

"It was the sixties in London, and I believe there may have been some chemical alteration of sensibilities involved," Severus said in his usual stone faced manner.

Harry could scarcely believe that Severus had said that out loud. He would have never made such a personal and shocking remark in front of Harry before, in the young man's opinion.

"Let's get this tree decorated," Severus said, changing the subject altogether. "Christmas is too close to dawdle."

Kreacher brought in a tray of soup and tea for Lottie to have while she rested on the couch, at his insistence. He then assisted Harry and Severus in creating silver and gold ornaments as well as light and tinsel. Severus even transfigured some napkins into a train track and trains to go around the bottom of the tree. By the time they were done, the babies babbled excitedly as the lights and sounds caught their attention. Severus picked up Audy to let her touch one of the ornaments while Lottie held Lily.

"I think Daddy and Harry did a good job, Lily," she said softly to her baby who was curious about the changes to the living room. Once the babies were able to touch and experience the tree, Lottie put up a barrier that would keep them from getting at it unsupervised.

"Now all that's left is for Father Christmas to put presents under the tree for these girls," Harry said, giving Lily a playful tickle.

Soon after, Lottie became fatigued and retired early, leaving Severus and Harry to heat the girls' bottles and put them to bed. Kreacher helpfully offered to take care of the little witches during the night. Once the twins were in their cots, Harry too retired so that he could catch up on his reading and writing a few letters.

It dawned on Severus that he would need to go shopping in the morning as he had nothing to give anyone. He'd never bothered with anything more than a few small presents to Dumbledore or Minerva in years past. He was unsure what either Lottie or Harry needed or wanted. He decided that he would spend the following day out until he found gifts for his girls, their mother, and Harry.

Left to his own devices, Severus went to his library and made a call to Molly and Arthur. He wanted to let them know that Harry was at his home and safe since he knew Molly would worry when she could not find the young man at his own home.

"Thank you, Severus," Molly said, keeping her voice low in their living room as the rest of the family was in the kitchen. "I knew something wasn't right with his not being here and Ginny is absolutely miserable. Though I must say, it's her own fault. Stubborn girl. Well, the heat of a young lovers' quarrel fades quickly and I've no doubt that they'll mend things soon."

"Undoubtedly," Severus replied. He then uncomfortably added, "I wish you all a Happy Christmas, Molly."

"And to you all, Severus," Molly said warmly. "The babies' first Christmas is a big event for parents. Enjoy it to the fullest."

The call ended on that note and Severus joined Lottie in bed though his mind remained fixed on the problem of what would be suitable gifts for the family. As he got into bed and curled in behind Lottie, Severus felt the heat coming from her skin. He summoned another phial from the medicine chest in the bathroom and roused Lottie just enough to get her to down the potion. It was fortunate, in his opinion, that she was both too ill and too drowsy to object. Her skin started to cool immediately and he was then able to settle to sleep next to her.

Severus woke shortly after sunrise and left his family sleeping as he left for Diagon Alley. He thought that by starting early, he would miss many of the other shoppers but he was surprised at the number of witches and wizards already out as he went from shop to shop.

He started at the apothecary to get billywig stings, knotgrass, and purple coneflower for brewing another batch of fever remedy, if it were necessary. He also bought a packet of mint tea that he knew Lottie favored. He stopped to look at some scales displayed and inspected the crystal weights and quickly discounted the set as a possible gift for Lottie since she, much like himself, preferred sturdy plain equipment over flashy showpieces.

He then crossed over to Flourish and Blotts to see what new books had recently been released and after looking around for some time, he chose a handful of advanced Potions texts that he thought would do Harry some good in his Auror training. He also decided that he would make notes for the young man since he did actually possess some natural talent, as he'd proven when he'd used Severus' old textbook so efficiently. Slughorn had been entirely insufferable that whole year with praise for Harry.

After a few more routine stops, Severus found himself drawn to Blunderbus' Toys and Trinkets when he saw a doll on display in the window that was advertised to morph into a toy replica of the child who owned it. When he stepped in, Severus was overwhelmed by the varieties of toys that were available. Being poor and restricted to a scant few muggle amusements as a child, Severus never had any real notion of what wizards allowed their children to play with and when he reached adulthood; it seemed too late to think about such things.

There were toy wands and brooms that were safe for children, of course, but also starter potions and charm sets, toy figures that duelled and a full tabletop Quidditch pitch and teams that could be charmed to play one another or even mimic live matches. It took much of his willpower not to buy most of the items so that his girls would have access to them as they grew up.

His daughters would have little interest in Quidditch for at least the next few years so he settled on the dolls he'd seen in the window and a small set of teddy bears that held a picnic, sang and danced together. These, he decided, would entertain his babies quite well.

Once he had his purchases shrunk down to be easily manageable, Severus stepped over to Transom's Treasures, a little mish-mash of a shop that had a little bit of everything. Immediately, he found a thin anti-stunner vest that would keep Harry safe during his work as an Auror and could be discreetly worn under his robes.

The shopkeeper, Transom, was an old dwarf who dealt in one of a kind pieces with magical properties aimed at keeping the user safe. In that respect, one could never know what was going to be there at any given time.

"Good afternoon, Sir," the dwarf coughed. "What can I help you find today?"

"I'll take the vest," Severus said as he continued to look around at the many artifacts available. He stopped and looked at what appeared to be a purring, fuzzy blob. "What is this?"

"That was meant to be an obscuring blanket but ended up being a purring eating machine. I use it mostly for garbage disposal," Transom explained.

Severus was looking at a Time Turner which he had no intention of buying when a glint of reflected sunlight from further down the row caught his eye. He stopped in front of a pair of full length standing mirrors with bronze gilded frames.

"Ah, a fine eye, Sir," the dwarf complimented as he hobbled towards him. "A matched set of traveling mirrors designed for quick egress. Place one in one spot and the other anywhere else in the world and you may travel between them in an instant. Best thing about these mirrors is that once one has been traveled through, it cannot be used again until the other has had a return trip. If you need to escape from pursuers, they would be unable to use the mirror to follow and unlike the Floo network, the travel between these mirrors is completely private."

After a brief demonstration and inspection, Severus took the mirrors ("a bargain at eighty galleons, Sir," Transom assured him.) and decided he'd had all the shopping he could stand for one day. He hurried out into the street and noticed that it started snowing while he was in the shop. He was more than happy to head home.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hi, Folks. I know it's been a few weeks since I updated but that doggone real life happened again. Between moving for my parents, then vacation, then my poor editor, the always awesome Lady Ruatha, getting poison ivy; things have been in the way. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter working up to Christmas. I know, I know, hard to think about in the dead of summer but maybe it'll make things a little cooler in your mind. :)  
**

**I hope you'll leave a review for me. I do my best to respond to each and every one. Thanks.  
**

**Jenny**


	5. All I Want For Christmas

**Chapter 4: All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth**

Severus woke as soon as Lottie got out of bed to check on the girls. He was always very conscious of every movement made around him when he slept, even though it had been a long time since he was in any danger that required the vigilant state that he automatically went to. He naturally saw very well in the dark; he always had. He watched as she carefully and as quietly as she could, opened the door and slipped out.

It was just about four in the morning on Christmas and Severus realized that he was excited to see daylight. Even as a boy, he'd never been very excited about Christmas because it rarely meant anything good. There might be some new second-hand clothes or sometimes even a book but only a couple of times was a toy to be discovered hiding beneath the always sparsely decorated tree. Mostly it meant that his father would start drinking early and "Christmas Cheer" usually ended in a beating for Severus, his mother or both of them.

Obviously, things would be different for his girls. There were already a small mountain of presents under the tree for them. Many of the teachers at the school had sent presents to the house without his knowledge and there were even some from people who read about the twins' birth in papers and magazines. It seemed odd to Severus that complete strangers would do such a thing but after he'd scanned them carefully and found that there were no dark curses on any of the presents that could harm his little girls; he allowed them to be placed under the tree.

When they were setting out the presents the night before, he couldn't help but notice a fair number of presents for himself as well, something he truly hadn't expected. Most were labeled as being from 'Father Christmas' as were most of the girls' presents but he knew Lottie's handwriting too well to be fooled. He was certain that several of the packages contained potion ingredients and one soft package that was most definitely a new robe but there was one large box that he could not figure out at all.

Finally, Lottie returned to bed with Audrina in her arms. On the rare occasion that one of the babies wasn't able to settle back to sleep easily, Lottie brought her back to bed with her.

"I hope we didn't wake you," Lottie whispered as she got back into bed. She sat up in bed and settled Audrina back to nursing.

"No, I was awake," he replied. "Audy's not sleeping?"

"Hopefully soon," Lottie said. "Lily wasn't fully asleep yet either but she was nearly there. I didn't want to jar her by moving her again."

"Perhaps we should let them be awake and have Christmas earlier rather than later," Severus suggested.

"Oh, I can't have these girls that far off schedule. They'll be tired and cross by mid-morning," Lottie answered. "Let's try to be quiet and she should get back to sleep."

Severus sat up next to her and watched their daughter as she nursed and her little eyelids drooped. He never tired of watching them and seeing them at their mother's breast felt like the most wonderful thing in the world that he could get to experience. Suddenly, he noticed Audrina looking up at him and with her mother's nipple still in her mouth, she smiled at him.

"You're a funny girl," he chuckled, stroking her cheek gently with his thumb.

"She's never going to get to sleep at this rate," Lottie sighed. "I was really hoping for a little more sleep."

"Give her to me," Severus said, reaching out. "She's done nursing so I'll take her while you get back to sleep. I'm positive she'll go back to sleep soon."

Lottie handed their daughter to him and he slipped out of bed and left the room so that his partner could get some rest. She was still recovering from the flu and he didn't want to see any relapses.

He walked across the hallway to the nursery with Audrina and peeked into Lily's cot. She was lying on her stomach with her knees tucked under her bottom. He couldn't imagine how she always managed to twist herself around like that when he knew that Lottie always put the girls on their backs to sleep.

He carefully held Audrina with one arm as he manipulated Lily back into a proper sleeping position. He knew that she would be turned about again by morning but he didn't like seeing her with her face pressed down on the cot mattress. Once she was situated to his satisfaction, Severus went to the rocking chair with Audy. He knew that Lottie was right and if the girls were to get off schedule, it would be hell trying to get them back to it. He wanted his time home to be pleasant, not a battle of 'get the babies to sleep'. He rocked and gently patted Audy's back to lull her back to sleep. He knew she was close to sleep when he felt her stick her fingers in her mouth and began sucking.

Once he was certain that she was asleep and going to remain so, he carefully lowered her into her cot and kissed her forehead. He did the same for Lily who was still sound asleep and still, for the time being, sleeping on her back.  
Severus went back to bed and climbed in behind Lottie and drew himself close to her as he started to settle his own mind for a return to sleep. He found that his mind was engaged and quieting it was more difficult than it usually was.  
Lottie roused and mumbled, "What happened? I don't understand."

"Go back to sleep, Felicia," Severus said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Where am I going to go?" she continued to mumble.

Severus leaned up and noticed that her eyes were closed. She'd mumbled in her sleep before but this was the first time she'd make more than a few incoherent words. He nudged her shoulder to wake her and she started to consciousness.

"What the..." she began and looked around the room.

"You were talking in your sleep," he explained.

"Oh," she said simply. "I was dreaming."

"What about?" he asked, putting his arm around her.

"The night the girls were conceived," Lottie answered. "I was trying to figure out where I was going to live."

A twinge of regret went through Severus and he felt a small pit of guilt in his stomach. He'd thrown her out of Grimmauld Place after they made love because of the misunderstanding about the love potion that Ginny Weasley slipped her.

"I'm sorry, Camelot," Severus whispered, brushing her hair away from his face. "I made a horrible mistake."

"It's all right, Severus," she replied. "It was just a dream rehashing old memories. You've nothing to be sorry for. It's done with ages ago. Try to go back to sleep."

"I'm not certain I will," he said, kissing her neck.

"You're worse than a child. I wouldn't have pegged you as one to be overly enthusiastic for Christmas," she teased gently.

He chuckled slightly. "I'm looking forward to _this _Christmas. The first with my partner and children. I don't think that is an unreasonable thing."

"No it isn't, my love, but we have hours before the girls will be awake again. Perhaps we might find something to amuse you in the meantime," Lottie purred as she reached back and fondled him.

Severus went erect immediately in response to her touch. "Good Lord, Woman. You're still ill and starting this now?" he whispered.

"You'll be busy with start of term banalities after Christmas and who knows the next time you will get to be home," she replied with a giggle.

"We will get to spend much more time together in future," Severus promised, as he thought about the present that awaited her. Despite his desire, which she easily excited, Severus cleared his mind and calmed his body. The Black Cat Flu was nothing to treat casually and he didn't want her relapsing by stressing her body.

"Spoilsport," she laughed. "What shall we do to help you get ready to rest then?"

Severus drew her closer to him and wrapped his arm around her. "This will do."

They laid quietly for some time and Severus drifted off into a light sleep. His mind dreamt of someone walking around and the fire being lit in the hearth. He then heard his mother's voice in his ear, "Happy Christmas, Son."

Severus' eyes snapped open at her voice but there was no one near him nor in the room aside from Lottie, who was sound asleep and snoring. He opened the door to the hall and went across to the nursery where Lily was sitting up in her cot and smiling at the mirror on the activity toy attached to the side.

"Good morning, Beautiful Girl," he said as he picked her up and kissed her little cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Dadadada," Lily replied to him with her bright, happy smile. Severus noticed something new, however. The first little white specks of a tooth were beginning to show through her gums. He put his pinky finger in her mouth to feel the little nubs and she instinctively bit down.

"Ouch," he said, pulling his finger back. "That is one mean little tooth you have, Young Lady."

Severus got the baby changed and dressed before her sister woke up. As soon as the girls were taken care of and he had two armfuls of babies, Severus started over to the master bedroom when Harry stumbled out of his room looking bleary eyed and his hair stuck out in every direction.

"Mornin', Da," the young man mumbled as he shut the bathroom door behind him. Severus shook his head and chuckled as he opened the bedroom door with his elbow. Lottie woke when she heard the door and had her wand in hand before her eyes opened. She was armed so quickly that Severus didn't have the opportunity to see where she kept it.

"Don't shoot, Mummy. It's just us," Severus said, keeping the girls to one side in case of an accidental misfire. Once she lowered her wand and sat up, he put the babies on the bed with her. He leaned in and gave Lottie a kiss as Audrina crawled onto her mother's lap and snuggled into her.

"Happy Christmas," she said as their lips parted. "Have you been up long?"

"No," he replied. "Lily was already awake when I went in. Audy woke a few minutes later."

"Glad I wasn't holding you all back," Lottie chuckled as Lily took her mother's ring finger and started sucking on it. "Let's take these two down to get their breakfast before your daughter chews my finger off."

"Her first tooth is coming in," Severus announced.

"I know," Lottie replied, sounding a little displeased by the announcement. "She bit me last night... don't you dare laugh!"

He laughed despite the admonishment. "You didn't complain when I did it," he teased.

"Oh shut up and take my little cuddle bunnies," she replied as she handed Audy to him and pulled her finger out of Lily's mouth which caused a squeal of protest.

"I'll get their breakfast sorted out while you get dressed," Severus said. Once she slipped behind the bathroom door, he took a baby in each arm and started for the steps. Harry was heading in the same direction. "Good morning. You look a little more alert."

"Yeah, um, sorry about earlier," Harry began. "I wasn't quite awake."

Severus motioned with his head to Audrina. "Take your sister and bring her downstairs. Your mum's getting dressed and the babies require feeding."

"You're not angry?" Harry asked a little nervously.

"I've nothing to be angry over, Son," Severus replied simply and went down the stairs. '_That,'_ he decided, silently, '_should be the end of any worry about the state of our family_. _The Weasley girl will simply have to accept it._'

Kreacher carried a tray of coffee and two bottles into the sitting room just as Severus and Harry reached the ground floor. Once there, each man sat with a baby on his lap and fed the twins their bottles. By the time Lottie got downstairs, the girls were just finishing their bottles and she noticed Severus' eyes drift toward the Christmas tree. She took Lily from Harry and sat on the floor in front of Severus and Audrina.

"Where is Kreacher?" Lottie asked. "We shouldn't start without him."

"Kreacher is here," the aged elf said, walking back in from the kitchen. "What can Kreacher get Miss?"

"Nothing, it just wouldn't be right if you weren't here for presents as well," she replied. "Will you join us?"

"As Miss wishes," he answered and sat on a low stool nearest the fire. It was no secret to any of them that Kreacher was Lottie's best friend in the world and he was equally devoted to her.

Once he was settled, Lottie handed presents out with Lily and Audy's names on them and passed around packages to Harry, Severus and Kreacher. She helped Lily open her present by poking a hole in the gold paper with one finger and then letting the baby tear a little strip of the wrapping and then finishing the job for her.

Severus did the same with Audrina and pulled out a brown, squishy toy that he couldn't identify. "Is it a bear?" he asked.

"It's a dog," Lottie answered. "Lily got a kitty."

Severus had never laid eyes on anything that looked less like a dog or a cat in his life but it was obvious that Lottie put a great deal of effort and love into making the toys which rendered them less undesirable.

"So my sewing isn't the best," she admitted with a rueful smile. "Good thing they're too little to care."

Next they turned their attention to Kreacher, who wasn't at all certain about what to do with the large box in front of him. It was labeled as being from Harry which always caused the elf some worry for fear it would contain clothes from his master. When he opened it, however, he pulled out a large container of plant seeds and starter pots as well as a set of gardening tools sized down to perfection for him. There was also a small painted wooden sign that read 'Kreacher's Krops' that looked ready to be staked into the ground as soon as spring arrived.

"Mum told me that you liked to garden so come spring, we will till part of the back garden at home for you to plant whatever you like," Harry told him.

Kreacher said nothing, but the large toothy smile and tears that silently dripped from the tip of his nose left no one in doubt of his appreciation.

Next, Harry opened the large box that Lottie had handed to him and withdrew a thick shin guard from a set of professional Quidditch pads.

"Wow, these are amazing," Harry said. "Thank you."

"I know you haven't had much time for playing since you started training as an Auror," Lottie replied. "But I hope you'll remember that entertainment is important as work."

Harry leaned over and hugged her. "I will. Thanks."

Their eyes then went to Severus who sat with a large slender package on his lap, Noticing their attention on him, he tugged at the wrapping and found a high gloss mahogany case which he opened up to see an ivory and black sapphire wizard's chess set.

"This is beautiful, Felicia," he said, warmly. "I haven't had a game of chess in years."

"Harry isn't the only one who needs to remember to play a little," Lottie teased. "Let's get the girls set up with another set of presents."

"You haven't opened a gift yet, Mum," Harry said.

"I want to get Lily and Audy going before they lose interest," Lottie answered. "I'll do mine in a few minutes. Look, Girls, these are from Daddy."

She handed out the two packages that contained the dolls he'd chosen specially and, as advertised, as soon as each baby touched the doll, it transformed to become identical to their new owners.

"Uh oh, now Mummy will have to make sure she picks up a little girl and not a dolly," Lottie laughed as she tickled Lily who laughed heartily.

Lottie pulled out a few more packages and handed them around. What they found next were two sets of identical letter blocks that Hagrid had made, which stayed stacked no matter how precariously done until they were purposely knocked down. After that were some clothes for the growing girls and then the teddy bear picnic figurines that Severus picked up. Then they got to presents from Harry, which were two very soft bludgers that rolled themselves toward the babies and stopped as they gently bopped into their feet.

"I decided to wait until their first birthday to get them brooms," Harry laughed.

"Yes, I'd like them walking before flying," Lottie replied.

There were more toys, mostly noisy ones, sent by some of Severus' well meaning 'fans'. The girls were then no longer interested in any packages but they were more interested in the already opened toys and Lottie let Lily go to inspect the new playthings.

"Now I believe it is your turn," Severus said, taking her hand and lightly pulling her up to the couch. "Harry, if you would take over the Father Christmas duties?"

"Right," Harry said, going to the tree immediately. He picked up a large box and handed it over. Severus lifted it to Lottie and set it on her lap. It was quite weighty for its size and even Severus had to admit that he was curious as to what the young man was giving her. She unwrapped the shiny red paper and set it to the side to uncover a Sony Vaio laptop computer.

"I thought you could use it to write your..." Harry began but was interrupted by Lottie almost immediately.

"We haven't discussed that yet," she said, motioning to Severus.

"Would someone care to let me in on the secret?" Severus asked, not looking pleased at being left out.

Lottie, feeling a Snape level temper tantrum on the horizon, took his hand in hers and said, "Don't be cross. I wanted to talk to you about it when things weren't so hectic and we had time to sit and really talk about this. Robert Obscurus sent an owl asking me to write an autobiography detailing life during the internment and up until the soul reintegration. I haven't made a decision on it however."

"The computer will help if you do. It has Windows XP, a good word processing program, you can get onto the world wide web with the wireless modem."

Harry could have been speaking Parseltongue for as much sense as he was making to Severus. There was no window on the machine at all that Severus saw. He found Lottie inspecting it with interest and worried that she might feel impelled to make the decision.

Before he could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Severus left her on the couch inspecting the contraption and looked through the peephole to see who was asking admittance to his home. Molly and Ginny Weasley were standing at the door waiting patiently. He slid the chain from the door and ushered them in.

"Happy Christmas, Severus," Molly said as they took off their cloaks. "Have you finished your present opening?"  
"The twins are taking a break to play and Camelot just opened her gift from Harry," he said, eyeing the Weasley girl cautiously. She looked as if many tears had been shed over the last couple of days and they welled up again at seeing Harry in the doorway.

Severus clapped Harry on the shoulder and said quietly, "Use the study, Son."

Severus took Molly to the sitting room for refreshments while Harry closed the door behind Ginny and himself as they went into the darkened study. His stomach gave a queasy turn as he opened the curtains to let in the light as he cast a silencing spell. He didn't expect anyone to listen in but better safe than sorry, in his opinion. He noticed a standing object in one corner of the study that hadn't been there before. It was covered with a blanket and he could only assume that it was a gift for someone.

Ginny chewed at her thumbnail as she waited for Harry to face her which seemed to take an eternity.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Ginny asked finally.

"You came to see me, Gin," Harry replied. "I figure it's you that has something to say."

"I... We missed you last night," Ginny squeaked out.

"You're the one that demanded I make a choice, Ginny," Harry said bitterly. "Angry it wasn't the one you wanted?"

"Why are they so much more important to you than us?" Ginny demanded, jealousy thick in her tone. "Why is my family not good enough any longer?"

"That's your opinion, not mine," he spat back. "I told you before you made the ultimatum not to do it but your pride had to get in the way, didn't it?"

There was a moment of silence before Ginny spoke again. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Damn right," Harry said. "Why don't you want me to have family of my own? I know Severus was a bastard to have as a teacher but for God's Sake, we _learned. _He taught me more than I ever even realized at the time. He acted more like a parent than any other adult I have ever known."

"He tormented you!" Ginny returned.

"No, he disciplined me. Do you think I really would have been able to defeat Voldemort without his harsh lessons? Dumbledore did not prepare me half so well as he should have," Harry told her. "I loved the old man but by overlooking a lot of my misbehavior, he did not do me any favors. I see that now. If he had impressed on me sooner the importance of minding the rules and telling the truth to the teachers, Voldemort may have never had the opportunity to regain his followers and gotten back to power. Do you really think it should have been me to rescue you from the Chamber of Secrets?"

"But you managed it, Harry, and if you'd been more harshly disciplined, you'd have resented the hell out of Dumbledore and all the teachers," Ginny argued.

"What kid doesn't resent being punished?" Harry sighed. "That doesn't mean it shouldn't be given. You trying to say that you understood every time that your mum and dad punished you as being deserved?"

"No," Ginny admitted. "But you know back then Snape would have been harder on you than you deserved."

"I don't think so. I think he was the only person who saw me for who I really was. A boy who'd been allowed too much freedom through neglect that needed discipline to achieve the nearly impossible goals that he never asked for," Harry defended. "I couldn't have asked for a better father."

"You really consider him as a father?" Ginny asked. "And Lottie your mother? What about James and Lily? What about _their_ sacrifice for you?"

"Don't you DARE bring them into this," Harry shouted. "They didn't choose to have a madman want to murder them but they did with it what they could. My parents would have wanted me to have people that kept me safe. Severus and Lottie BOTH did that. Lottie had no reason to take me in as an infant. It's not like any of us treated her as a friend."

"Yes we did!" Ginny said. "We were never mean or ignored her."

"Never went out of our way to make her feel part of anything neither, did we? Just the hired help. We saw her all the time while Severus was in a coma but not one of us was able to figure out she was damn near dead. He was only conscious two days and he figured it out," Harry said. "And which one of us went out to help her last Christmas Eve? Can you imagine being all alone without any idea of the cause of her expulsion? She still has nightmares about it. I heard her last night."

"How did you hear it?" Ginny asked, looking sad at the reminder of the previous Christmas' events.

"Doesn't matter," Harry replied. "And you know, even with how shitty things were, she still didn't hesitate to take me when I was suffering from that reverse aging hex. Not for even one second. I remember her talking with Madam Pomfrey, telling her that she would be taking me back to her apartment with her and wouldn't leave 'the baby', ie me, in an impersonal hospital. Mind you, this was when she couldn't even defend herself had someone wanted to harm her."

"Lottie needed the practice for her own babies. She even said as much. So it wasn't exactly altruistic, was it?" Ginny said, defensively.

"She might have tried to justify it that way but more than once she told me that I was her baby and even when the girls were born, I'd still be her baby," Harry growled. "She was more of a mother to me in one month than Petunia had been in my entire lifetime. Severus and Lottie gave me the option of remaining a child and having a do-over. I chose to become an adult again so that we could start our lives together, you and me. Now I don't even know if I made the right decision. Ever since I returned back to myself, you've been acting like a selfish, spoiled brat trying to keep me away from them at every turn. How would you feel if I was telling you that you couldn't see YOUR parents or brothers?"

Ginny started to cry again, this time not in anger or vexation but in remorse for her behavior. She threw herself at Harry and sobbed, "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry put his arms around her and closed his eyes. He hated to see her cry but he needed to tell her how he felt or it would have always been between them. Once the tears slowed a little bit, he took Ginny's face between his hands and looked in those blue eyes of her and said, "I love you, Ginny Weasley. I love you so damn much it hurts but I'm not going to lose my family again. I can't."

"I'm sorry, Harry. I really am," she said, taking out a tissue and dabbing her eyes and wiping her nose. "I never realized all of this."

He held her in his arms again. "I know, Ginny, but that Weasley stubbornness can be so aggravating sometimes!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Just thought I should put in here the standard "I don't own Harry Potter" disclaimer here since I hadn't done it before. Seems kind of pointless on a site called FanFiction but what the heck.

Was fairly busy with a temp job that kept me from writing for a while but it's over now so I have a little more time to devote to this and the podcast I'm on with some friends.

As always, thanks go out to Lady Ruatha for editing/beta reading for me.

I love to hear from you all. Please review or send me a PM if there's something you want to know.

Thanks,

Jenny


	6. Frosty the Snowman

Severus returned to the sitting room with Molly to find Lottie on the floor with the twins. She helped Audrina activate the 'Peekaboo Pig' that Filius sent for them. It was a large, pink, cartoonish looking pig that covered its eyes with its front feet and asked, "Where am I?" and then pulled the feet away to exclaim "Here I am!", much to the baby's delight. In the meantime, Lily amused herself by sitting on her mother's lap and playing with the doll given to her by her daddy. She alternated between giving it big gummy kisses and poking it in the eye.

"Mrs. Weasley," Lottie said as they came into the room. "I hope your Christmas morning has been pleasant."

"Yes, fairly so," Molly replied, smiling at the delighted two babies. "Bill and Fleur came with Victoire. She's definitely being spoiled by her aunts and uncles."

"And her grandmother, as well, I'm sure," Lottie chuckled. She moved Lily to the couch with her doll and stood up.

"It looks as though your two little angels are having a very pleasant Christmas as well," Molly said.

"Yes, they are. I only hope I'll be able to tear them away from all these new things for lunch and nap time today," Lottie sighed, looking at the mountain of gifts. "Thank you so much for the new cardigans for the girls. They're growing so fast that it's almost impossible to keep them in clothes."

"I'm glad you like them," Molly smiled, sitting.

"Let me get you a cup of coffee," Severus offered as he stepped over some of the toys. He should have felt mortified by their usually tidy home looking as if a toy bomb had gone off in it but all he could do was be happy that his little girls were enjoying themselves so thoroughly.

"Don't trouble yourself," Molly said. "I'm hoping that we won't intrude on your holiday too long. Just long enough for that hard headed daughter of mine to apologize. Honestly, I don't know what got into her."

"To be fair, Ginny never had to share Harry with a family before," Lottie mused. "I suppose that's an odd adjustment to have to make, Mrs. Weasley."

"Call me Molly, dear," the elder woman kindly advised. "Perhaps you can encourage her, Severus. We are all friends, after all, and perhaps one day, even family."

The conversation was interrupted by Lily who started fussing from her place on the sofa which then set Audrina to crying as well.

"Hunger still wins out over play at this age," Molly chuckled, picking up the little girl sitting next to her while Severus got Audy from her place on the floor.

They all went into the kitchen where dinner was already in the oven and Kreacher retreated to his own room. Lottie pulled a couple of jars from the refrigerator and started warming them in a pot of hot water.

"No more plums, are there?" Severus joked.

"Make one little mistake and I'll never hear the end of it," Lottie sighed dramatically then laughed. She then explained the mishap to Molly who laughed ruefully as she put a bib on Lily.

"Poor little mite," she said to the baby. "I can't imagine how horrible that must have been for you."

"It was worse for the one changing her," Severus deadpanned.

"I did the same thing with Ron once," Molly said, watching as Lottie did everything manually. "Fred and George were getting into something and I put the wrong food in the wrong jars. Fortunately, I figured it out before I fed him the entire thing."

Severus saw that Molly had noticed as well and as soon as the food was ready he took it from his mate and ushered her out of the room. "Go upstairs and rest a bit," he said, tenderly. "I can take care of the girls."

"Sev..." she began but he put a finger to her lips to silence her.

"Please," he interrupted.

"You do look as though you would do well with a rest," Molly agreed kindly. "Take the chance, dear. I've managed my way around a baby a time or two."

"Or seven," Severus added. "Go on. Take fifteen minutes for a little peace and quiet. We still have your gift to get to yet."

Lottie finally agreed and went upstairs for a short rest. She knew they wanted to talk about her so she decided not to argue the point.

Once Lottie was out of earshot, Molly asked, "Has her magic not returned yet? I thought Harry said she had a new wand."

"It's a little more complex than we first thought," Severus explained. "And it's all of the survivors; not just Camelot. Draco tells me that they are all experiencing the same symptoms whenever they try to use magic repeatedly."

"What's happening?" Molly inquired further.

"As far as he can tell, nothing. There seems to be no reason for it but it's the same with each one. There is an aggravated pain response to repeated spell casting," Severus said. "I worked with her over the summer on some defensive spells. She tells me that those were always her weak point. Her transcript confirms that she never did very well in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She did well in nearly everything else, however. History of Magic was a little dodgy but that's to be expected with Binns. That old ghost is as dull as day old dishwater."

"This must be good food for tiny tummies," Molly said as she gave each of the girls a spoonful of food. "You peeked at her school records?"

"Right after we first met," Severus replied. "I couldn't recall her as a student and it was bothering me so I retrieved her file to check my own notes."

"Perhaps it's some part of that curse they were under," Molly suggested.

"I plan to find out when she's well," Severus said. "It's not a good idea to tax her system now."

The conversation was cut short when the study door opened and Harry emerged hand in hand with Ginny. It was obvious from both their faces that tears had been shed, but the quarrel was, for the time being, over.

"Where's Mum?"

"Having a rest, Son," Severus replied, offering to Molly the insight into the change of the relationship between himself and Harry.

"Would it be alright if Kreacher remained here? I'd like to go..."

"Take your key with you," Severus said as he waved the young man off. "Kreacher is welcome to stay as long as he likes."

Molly finished feeding the babies their lunch with a satisfied smile while Harry gathered some things from his room.

"If you need someone to look after the girls when you attend to other matters, feel free to call, Severus," Molly offered. "I'm never further away than that."

"Thank you," he answered as he took a warm washcloth and washed Lily's face first, though she squirmed trying to get away. "There you are, Young Lady."

He then repeated the performance with Audrina who bore it better. It only took a few more minutes before Harry and the two Weasley women were gone from the house and Severus took his sleepy little girls to the nursery for a nap. He then quietly opened the door to the master suite and peeked in.

Lottie was lying on her side and reading the most recent copy they had of Corbin's Charms Annual Review. "They've gone then?" Lottie asked, sitting up.

"Kreacher's still here but Harry's gone to the Weasley home for the evening," Severus said as he sat next to her on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"As if I've been well discussed," she smiled. "What's the worry?"

"She was just wondering about your magic and probably didn't want to ask about it in front of you in case you were sensitive about it," he deduced.

"I am trying to get better at it," Lottie sighed, setting her book aside. "I just can't push it as hard when I'm here with the girls alone."

"I know, Felicia," Severus whispered as he pushed a lock of hair away from her face. "She is just concerned and Molly Weasley would mother the entire world if she could."

He leaned in and kissed her which she responded to as she reached over and ran her fingers along the inside of his thigh. He didn't bother to stop her but reached under her blouse to fondle her breasts which made her giggle in giddy delight. They kissed repeatedly and he removed her clothing leaving them scattered about until they were skin touching skin, sharing warmth and passion. He lowered himself next to her so that he could have easier access to every part of her body which he used to his full advantage. From his position at her side, he could rub her muscles which were tight and stressed from too much time on her own. She groaned in pained ecstasy from his tender ministrations.

"Just relax," he whispered to her as he straddled her and massaged her chest which had been under the strain of her recent illness. He left kisses on her body as he went along and she shivered in anticipation when he reached her stomach. He looked up and grinned at her as he continued his path.

Afterwards, they laid in bed for some time, then he patted her leg. "Ready to see your present now?"

"You mean there's something else?" she asked with an impish smile that caused him to laugh.

"Of course there is, you daft girl," he teased. "Get your clothes on."

"I hope it's a giant box to shove all those new toys into," she said as she got dressed.

"This is something I think you'll get better use from," he chuckled, took her hand and led her down to the study that was now brightened by the appearance of the late afternoon sun. He pulled the coverings away from the two mirrors.

Lottie reached out and touched the frame of one of the mirrors. "Severus, are these..."

"Traveling mirrors," he finished for her. "I thought we might put one in my chambers at Hogwarts so that whenever you need a break, you can either bring the girls through or I can come home a little easier so that you have time to rest, write or whatever comes to your mind to do."

Lottie turned and kissed Severus then smiled. "Thank you. It's a brilliant present. I do wish I'd never even mentioned the letter to Harry though. I'm still not even certain I want to write a book. After all, once it's out there, it's there forever. I don't know if I want to put you and the girls through all that."

"You don't have to decide today, Felicia," Severus said warmly. He wrapped his arms around her waist to draw her in for a few more kisses which she readily supplied. "I have an idea. What if we take the family and go to Hogwarts in the morning? We can set up one mirror in my quarters, Kreacher can visit his brother, and Minerva and Filius can visit with their goddaughters. They've both recently lamented not having seen the twins since Halloween and we know that Lily and Audrina love the attention."

Lottie nodded in agreement. "It will be nice to see everyone. Were there many students remaining behind for Christmas?"

"Only a couple," Severus replied. "More people are focused on having their families together now, especially during the holidays. One thing the war seems to have done is created a greater appreciation for loved ones."

The Snape family spent the rest of their Christmas quietly, save for the sound of Peekaboo Pig's relentless chatter.

"I'm going to blow that damn pig up," was one of the last things said, in a moment of frustration, that evening. Severus laughed as he shut it away in a closet for the night.

Early the next morning, with their daughters still sleeping in their car seats and Kreacher nestled in the middle between them, Severus and Lottie got in the front seat of his Ford Cortina and began the trip to Hogwarts. They wanted to get to Hogwarts as early as possible so that they would arrive at breakfast before the staff went off to the various corners of the castle for the day. It would be easier if they weren't chasing everyone down.

Lottie, who had never been much of a morning person, snoozed in the passenger seat next to him and even Kreacher, with his head slumped forward on his chest, was snoring. Severus kept himself awake and alert by both driving north until he could get an empty straightaway to put the vehicle in the air and under an invisibility charm, and by reciting potions in his head alphabetically. He'd just started in on the ingredient list for Callus Cream when Lottie started awake and pulled her wand.

"Not so fast, Quick Draw," he said as he lost momentary control of the steering wheel which jostled Kreacher awake. He put his hand on her wand and gently manipulated it down so that she didn't fire wildly. Lottie loosened her grip and let out a breath.

"Sorry," she muttered as she returned her wand to its holster.

"What was going through your mind just then?" he asked as he put his hand on her shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Someone trying to take the girls," she said as she reached up and patted the top of his hand. "I'm fine now, really. Sorry for the excitement."

"We should really look at getting to the source of the nightmares and seeing if it can be blocked," Severus suggested. "I believe that much could be learned if you would let me try to pierce that dark defense in your mind."

Lottie didn't reply. She knew that eventually they would have to breach that wall but she wasn't entirely certain what they'd find there. The idea that it could be worse than everything she did remember scared her. Severus touched her cheek.

"I'll be with you," he said simply. She nodded. "I'll ask Minerva to look after the girls for a day. She says she never gets to see them enough."

Severus let her think about it as he landed on the road just on the inside of Hogwarts' grounds. Just as the car came to a stop, Hagrid stepped out of his hut, crossbow drawn.

"Blimey," Hagrid exclaimed. "We weren't expecting ter see yeh today!"

He put the huge crossbow down against the hut while Severus went and pulled the tandem pushchair out of the boot. Lottie handed each baby over in turn so that he could give the girls a kiss.

"They get more beau'iful every time I see em," he remarked.

"I think the same thing, Hagrid, but then I'm biased as their Mum," Lottie replied with a smile. "They're crawling now too."

"I was jes' abou' ter head up ter breakfast," Hagrid said. "I think ye'll be a welcome sight."

"Any problems?" Severus asked as he regarded the crossbow.

"Not around th' school but th' centaurs been a might antsy last couple o' days. Comin' ter the edge of th' forest an' all. Haven't said what they wanted yet though," Hagrid informed him.

"Keep an eye on the situation and tell me immediately if there are any changes or hostility," Severus instructed.

"You don't think they are looking to start a fight, do you?" Lottie asked as she pushed the twins in their chair.

"No, but if they are agitated about something; it's best to address it quickly," Severus said.

As they entered the main hall, Kreacher left for the kitchens and Severus looked around at the familiar walls and realized that something still felt off though he couldn't put his finger on the precise problem. He saw several of the children rushing down the stairs to breakfast with the heads of the houses following somewhat slower. Minerva looked over the bannister, saw the Snape family in the foyer, and quickened her pace slightly.

"Good morning, Minerva," Severus greeted as she approached. "I hope we are not intruding."

"I thought you weren't going to be back until the day before term started," she exclaimed as she gave Lottie a warm hug. "It's good to see you all."

"We have a piece of furniture to put in my quarters and I felt that, rather than suffer your rebuke for not bringing the family, that we would arrive early as a Boxing Day surprise and that you might spend some time with your goddaughters," Severus explained as Hagrid bounded through the door.

"The centaurs are outside and want ter speak wi' you, Headmaster," he said grimly. "Said it's important."

"Take the girls into the Great Hall," Severus told Lottie and kissed her cheek. While he didn't particularly care for public affection; they were only in front of a select couple of people. "Stay near the castle. I'll be back soon."

"Be careful," she replied.

Severus stepped outside where three centaurs stood in the snow waiting, seemingly unbothered by the cold. The eldest he recognized at once. It was the former astrology teacher, Firenze. During the war, he'd been reluctantly taken back by his herd. The younger two were entirely unfamiliar but seemed to be standing as guards. Severus nodded but did not speak and waited for Firenze to explain his arrival.

"Headmaster, our seer, Windfall, has asked us to issue an invitation to her stable in our enclave. She has an item to return to you," Firenze said carefully.

"Are lost items from the forest not usually handed over to Hagrid, our keeper?" Severus asked.

"This item is one of ancient power and must only be returned to the Keeper of Knowledge. No other will suffice," Firenze explained as though he was still restrained in his speech. "You are to be guaranteed safe passage to and from the Enclave. It is sworn on pain of death by the Seer herself."

As long as I am granted safety in my journey, please tell Windfall that I will travel to your Enclave to retrieve this item as soon as I am prepared for a trip into the forest," Severus returned formally.

"We will wait for you here, Headmaster," Firenze said.

"Let me come wi' you, Headmaster," Hagrid whispered quietly to Severus. "Sumthin' don't seem right."

Stepping inside, Severus shook his head. "No. Tell Minerva and Camelot where I have gone. Ensure the safety of the children and castle. If I have not returned by nightfall, I trust you to come for me but above all, keep my girls safe."

Hagrid nodded in understanding as Severus refastened his cloak and made quick checks for the security of his wand and several potions on his person. He even had a small ampule of darkness powder from the Weasley shop on him, if it were needed.

It was cold but not bitterly so as Severus followed the three centaurs through the dense forest as snow crunched underfoot. The centaur enclave was fairly deep in the forest and the terrain was not kind to human travelers. Severus placed gripping charms on the soles of his boots to keep from sliding on several of the steep embankments. By the time they reached the outer wall of the enclave, Severus was silently regretting not keeping himself in better physical shape. The outside sentry crossed their spears in front of the returning centaurs and their human companion until Firenze spoke once more.

"The Keeper of Knowledge comes at the invitation of Windfall," he formally declared. The sentry uncrossed their spears and knelt on one hoof in a show of respect to Severus who returned the gesture with a bow and stepped through the gate.

The centaur enclave was a bustling village in its own right with families going about their daily business and large round homes, much like the Mongolian yurts of Asia, lined the trodden road that went directly through the center of the village. The two guards left Firenze and Severus inside the gate, though most of the other centaurs stopped what they were doing to watch the human as he followed to the seer's home.

"You would have been safe to travel to Hogwarts without guard, Firenze," Severus said.

"They did not serve as safety for me," Firenze explained. "They were your honor guard. I was chosen to speak because I am known at the human castle and believed would be the most persuasive to ask you to come. Otherwise, the guard are my jailers. Inside, you will find Windfall. Goodbye, Headmaster."

Firenze did not look back as he limped away, hobbled by his own people as punishment for his betrayal. Severus knocked on the door and heard from inside, "Enter, Keeper of Knowledge."

He opened the door and stepped in quickly. The aroma reminded him of Trelawny's Divination classroom at the top of the Astronomy tower. A white haired centaur rested behind a table where a chair had been drawn up for him.

"I have come as you asked," Severus said as he sat across from her at the table. "Why have you summoned me, Windfall?"

"Some of our younglings training in the forest came upon an item of power that belongs to Man," she told him as she poured and handed him a cup of tea. She then laid a large shiny black stone on the table before him. "After conferring with the stars, I learned that now was the time to return it to man, but only the Keeper of Knowledge for it bears you a great future task."

"This is the Resurrection Stone," he observed as he carefully sipped at his tea. "What task could it possibly bear me?"

"That is for you to discover at the gate of life," she said. "It is up to you to use it wisely."

Severus wrapped the stone in a handkerchief and placed it in his pocket. "What gate of life? I am not well versed in the stars, Windfall."

"I cannot tell more than that, Keeper of Knowledge," Windfall said. "I can only perform my part in your journey and I have done so. I know only that it is your destiny to use it and that your heart's desire must you follow. These things will be revealed to you in their due course as all things are. Safe journey to you."

Severus set the tea cup on the table and nodded. "Thank you, Windfall."

As he left, he carefully contemplated her words. What gate of life and heart's desire could he have that had anything to do with the Resurrection Stone? Centaurs had a reputation for being aggravatingly unhelpful and this time was no different. He followed the road to the outside gate and after he was away from the Enclave, Severus cast a Seven Step Charm on his boots to speed his journey back to the castle along. He moved quickly through the forest and before long found himself beside Hagrid's hut at the edge of the forest.

Hagrid was there along with his half brother Grawp and he was attempting to teach the younger, larger giant the English alphabet using enlarged vegetables with the letters written on them as guides. He stopped as soon as he saw Severus.

"Alright there, Headmaster?" Hagrid asked, looking concerned.

"I am well," Severus answered as he walked briskly by. "Your brother is about to eat your J."

"Grawpy, we've only done up to E so far," Hagrid scolded with a resigned sigh. He was never of the heart to be harsh to anyone.

Severus continued toward the castle, eager to get warm and to have a bit of a rest. He had much on his mind and he couldn't help thinking there was something he'd forgotten. His trip was stopped, however, by an errant snowball hitting him in the back. A young first year Hufflepuff froze in terror at the sight of the projectile meant for her sister striking the Headmaster. He managed to keep his face neutral as he closed the distance between himself and the two children.

"Which one of you threw that?" he asked.

The girl paled and squeaked, "I did, Sir. I didn't mean for it to hit you. I'm sorry."

Severus gave the two red cheeked girls a looking over. The younger of the two girls looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment. "Please take care to aim your weapon more carefully in future. Also, you look as if you have been outside too long without appropriate gear. Where are your hats and scarves?"

"We couldn't buy..." the younger girl began but was interrupted by her sister, who was a third year.

"We must have left them in our dorms, Sir," the older girl lied, even though he easily saw through it. He did not push the issue but stood straight and towered over the two.

"Go to your common room and get yourselves warm," he instructed, sternly. "You may resume your play after you have located your appropriate outerwear. We cannot have students left in our care over Christmas holidays becoming ill because we were not watching carefully. If you can not find your things, please see Professor Sprout. I believe she may have some things that were left by previous students that you may borrow."

"Yes, Sir," the two girls chorused before heading in through the courtyard door.

Severus redirected his path to the Greenhouses where he hoped Pomona would be tending her plants. The corridor outside of the greenhouses was warm and humid. He took the charms from himself before he overheated. He called for a house elf and ordered that tea and biscuits be sent to the Hufflepuff common room. After the elf was on his way, Severus saw the stout Herbology professor coming down the hall with a bucket and broom as he approached.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster," she greeted cheerfully.

"Pomona, I sent a pair of your young Hufflepuffs back to the common room. They were nearly frozen through playing outside without hats, scarves and very tatty gloves. I don't believe that their parents could afford their gear, if you have any spares," he told her.

"That will be the Milford girls," Pomona said as she opened the greenhouse door. "Only ones I have that stayed. The Ministry helped with their tuition and the older girl's books but I guess they didn't have money left for anything else. Parents disappeared during the war. I'll make sure that they have some warm things, Headmaster. Just as soon as I find this blasted animal in my greenhouse and get rid of it."

As Severus moved away from the greenhouse, he heard a low growling whine directly behind him. Before he managed to turn around; something hit him right between the shoulder blades. He quickly tossed his outer robe from his shoulders and let it fall to the ground. Whatever had attacked him, was now encapsulated within the folds of his robe.

"Pomona," Severus called out to Sprout, who had gone back inside the greenhouse. "Please levitate my robe so that I may have a look at whatever I've captured beneath it.

As the robe lifted, the noise became louder but the movement stilled completely. The creature that was finally exposed was possibly the ugliest cat Severus had ever seen. Besides the sounds it was making, its fur was missing patches and was so malnourished that it looked as though its bones would poke through the skin at any moment. Despite being around 12 inches at the shoulder, the expression on its face promised death to all and would make a dragon think twice about getting near it. The cat made no effort to run away, and simply glared at Severus as he glared back at it.

"The poor thing looks near starved to death," Pomona said, approaching it but stopped when the cat hissed and spat menacingly at her. "Of course, I can see that it's not in any humour for help."

Severus gathered his robe and dusted it off as he tried to ignore the creature while still keeping one eye on it. "Leave it alone and it will move along soon enough. There's not much here but a few mice to feed it."

"True enough, Headmaster," Pomona replied. "At least I won't have to worry about cleaning its dead carcass out of my greenhouse."

Severus walked toward the staff room wanting nothing more to sit in his favorite chair by the fire for a bit. The trip to the centaur Enclave had about done him in and he was felt as though something was eluding him. The cat followed him along the corridor looking as if it dared any creature, large or small, to start a fight with it.

As he rounded the corner, Severus once again attempted to shoo off the mangy animal with a sharp 'scoot'. It responded to his order by flicking its tail straight up in the air and racing ahead of him, giving Severus a very explicit view of its rear end. The cat was obviously male. Severus opened the staff room door and found Minerva, Filius, and a dark haired woman with two babies there.

"Excuse me, I wasn't aware you had guests, Minerva," he said as the cat hopped onto the arm of Severus' favorite chair.

"Severus," the dark haired woman said as she smiled at him. She quickly regarded the newly arrived animal."I'm glad you weren't gone long. Did the centaurs invite you all that way to adopt a half dead cat?"

"Madam, do not address me so informally. We have not been properly introduced," he stated.

A peculiar look ran across the woman's features, something he thought was a mix of confusion and horror. "Severus?"

"Who are you?" he sneered.

* * *

**Author's Note: Things are picking up now. What's happened to Snape? **

**What's going to happen to the family? **

**Why am I asking you all? I'm the author.  
**

**As always, thanks to Lady Ruatha for proofing and editing for me. Updating should be somewhat more regular right now since there are chapters already written that are in the hopper. **

**If you'd leave a review or a PM, I'd really love it. Let me know your thoughts. I do try to answer every review as long as you have an ID I can respond to.**


	7. Silent Night

Severus sat on one of the many beds in the hospital wing as Madam Pomfrey performed one diagnostic spell after another over him. The ratty looking cat laid on the bed next to him, purring contentedly, after being fed a good meal of chicken.

Meanwhile, the dark haired woman with the pale green eyes paced in the aisle in front of the beds. He hadn't been paying much attention when Minerva insisted that he be taken to hospital so Severus wasn't sure what happened to the woman's children. Someone was probably looking after them; not that it was any of his concern.

"How can this be happening?" the younger woman huffed to Minerva as she paced. "How is it possible that he's forgotten me and the girls?"

"Poppy is looking him over carefully," Minerva said quietly. "Hagrid's gone to the centaurs to ask about the visit. We will figure this out and get his memory back."

"I should have gone with Hagrid to find out what they did to him," she seethed. "Look at him. He doesn't remember anything about our life together."

"If you insist upon talking about me," Severus commented loudly, "at least have the courtesy to do so directly to me. Though, I must say I object to this scrutiny to begin with. I am perfectly well."

Minerva and the woman looked his way and he felt a twinge of irritation at the sad, concerned, and underlying ferocity that the face bore. Considering that she was a complete stranger, he felt there was no reason for her to be in such an emotional turmoil.

"Severus, we are only trying to find a reason for your very selective amnesia," the woman said to him.

"I told you not to address me so informally," he growled at her. "I don't know you."

"You don't remember it but we have been mates for months," she explained, gently. "We have two beautiful little girls together. We live at Spinner's End in the home _you _rebuilt."

"Even if you did in some fashion trick me into believing we are mates," Severus sneered. "There is no way you are foisting the responsibility of your two little bastards onto me."

The sound of flesh connecting with flesh filled the room and Severus felt his cheek growing hot. Everyone stood in stunned silence.

"I don't care that you don't remember me right now," she said sharply to him, after regaining her composure, "But you will never call our girls that vile word again."

"This woman is demented," Severus declared. "Minerva, remove her from the grounds before I hex her into oblivion."

"Severus, you don't mean that," Minerva replied. "You're understandably confused."

"I do not have to put up with being assaulted by some lunatic with an unnatural obsession in my well being," he spat. "And if you are living in my house, you had best be gone with those two brats before I return or your bodies will never be found."

Poppy finished her examination. "He's been Obliviated though I think that was obvious enough. It was made easier by the ingestion of Fugue Potion."

"Can you undo the damage?" the young woman asked the healer, already knowing the suspected answer.

"No," Poppy replied. "We need to find who gave him the potion and then used the spell. Otherwise I can not hope to reverse the effect."

"It must have been the centaurs," Minerva said, "but why have they done it?"

The unknown woman backed away from his hospital bed which suited Severus just fine. The further away that crazy woman was; the better, in his opinion. She looked angry but, as long as she was out of slapping distance, he wasn't too worried.

"I doubt I could have been given any sort of draught without my knowing it," Severus commented smugly. "I'm rather too talented at detecting them to be easily tricked."

"You're not infallible, Severus," Minerva said, "And rather too apt to think your abilities superior to the rest of modern man. What happened when you went to the enclave?"

"I went as requested and saw their seer," Severus explained. "She wished to give me the Resurrection Stone that was found in the forest. She claimed that it held a destiny for me regarding my heart's desire and a gate of life. I am not certain what any of it meant but she was certain that it was for me. After a cup of tea, I returned and assisted Pomona in ridding herself of this cat."

The black, patchy animal continued to purr at the end of the bed as he licked his paw. When he realized that he was the focus of current attention, he approached Severus and rubbed his head on Severus' robes.

"He seems to have taken a liking to you, Severus," Poppy observed with a sour expression. She didn't like animals in her hospital. "I want to keep you here overnight. It's probable that the tea was laced with the Fugue."

The cat jumped down from the bed and sauntered through the nearby open door that the woman had left through only a moment earlier after hearing his report. Severus figured that she went outside to cry about it or she was collecting her children to leave.

"I need no such attention, Poppy," he said. "I'm quite well aside from where that lunatic struck me."

"Never insult a woman's children, Severus," Minerva cautioned. "Even if you ARE their father."

"Those cannot be my children," Severus replied. "It's simply not possible."

Minerva summoned a photo album and turned to a page with a color photo that flashed and showed him holding two tiny bundles while sitting in a chair. He looked tired and a bit shell shocked. His eyes were red, as if he'd been crying; although Severus couldn't imagine such a thing. He hadn't cried in years. He had to admit the photograph looked familiar to him. He just couldn't recall where he'd seen it before. Underneath was a photo of him and that woman standing by a car, his beloved Cortina, each one holding a little girl and he was smiling. Not his usual self satisfied smirk but a real, honest to goodness smile. He had trouble imagining that it was actually him looking as if everything in his world was good.

"This is the day they were born," she said, pointing to the first photograph. "Lottie almost died that day but in the end, she survived and you were blessed with these two girls; Audrina Marie and Lilianna Minerva. She didn't get that name by coincidence, Severus."

In the face of somewhat compelling evidence, Severus had to concede in his own mind that it was possible that he fathered the children. He wasn't impotent and, if in a moment of weakness, he fell for the woman's charms... he could have impregnated her. Neither of the kids looked like him, but they were babies so it was rather difficult to tell.

"Why would only these memories be targeted? The centaurs have no reason to interfere. They generally refuse to get involved with the human world at all," Severus mused. "I still can't believe that I'm involved with that woman. I've only ever loved one woman, Minerva. You know that."

"And you were finally able to settle that and move on, Severus," Minerva explained. "You and she were building a life together. The girls just had their first Christmas and you were such a changed man."

"Get Lucius, if he will come," Severus said. "He can perform Legilimancy and he's gifted with Obliviating charms. If anyone can help, it will be him."

"Do you think it wise to trust him with such a delicate matter?" Minerva asked.

"He's the only one I trust to help with this," Severus replied. "Despite everything, we are friends."

Hagrid entered the hospital wing in his typical lumbering fashion. He looked grave and serious. "Professor McGonagall, Headmaster," he greeted.

"What news, Rubeus?" Minerva asked.

"The centaurs won' answer abou' what they done to th' Headmaster. Only some ruddy codswallop abou' the stars aligning and it had ter be done," Hagrid reported. "Since they didn't deny it, I reckon that is tellin' in and of itself."

"Is Miss Nikos in the hallway?" Minerva inquired.

"No, I met up with 'er on me way here. Left 'er with Professor Flitwick and the girls. He was givin' 'er a drink to help calm 'er nerves. Figured that would keep 'er from tryin' ter go to the enclave on 'er own and endin' up dead or in Azkaban," Hagrid said. "The babies needin' their Mummy's abou' the only thing that'll help keep 'er head, I expect."

"Why would she go to the enclave at all?" Severus wondered. "Is she stupid?"

"Well, t'ain't no secret she's protective of ye, Headmaster," Hagrid replied. "Ever since she were takin' care of ye after ye were bit by tha' snake."

Severus shuddered involuntarily. That, he remembered vividly. He remembered that he woke up in Grimmauld Place. It had been months of unconsciousness. He remembered Harry standing at the door of a darkened room when he welcomed him back from the dead. He even remembered Molly bringing him clothes and some newspapers for him to catch up with. There was someone else there. He knew that but the image was blurry, as if he were trying to look at it though a deep fog.

"As I was comin' back, she was on 'er way to the enclave, wand a' the ready lookin' like she were out fer blood," Hagrid continued. "Don't reckon the Centuars would ha' liked that too much."

"Hagrid, as Poppy has insisted that I remain here for the night, would you do me the favor of finding that woman and telling her to bring the children here?" Severus asked. "I need to have a look at them and decide if they are to remain in my home until she is able to make other arrangements."

"I'll go an' tell 'er," Hagrid said as his brow furrowed in concern. Surely, the headmaster wasn't throwing her and the kids out? It must've just been because he was so confused; Hagrid was sure of it. He lumbered back out of the infirmary to deliver the message as he was asked.

The cat strolled back into the hospital wing and jumped onto the bed once again. He sat staring at Severus for several minutes before meowing at him, flopping over and starting to wash his belly.

"Have I always been certain that the children were mine?" Severus asked Minerva.

"Since the day you brought her here and you fainted in the office when the reality of it all hit you," Minerva confirmed. "I am going to have to contact the Ministry about this unprovoked assault on you. Perhaps they can persuade the centaurs to undo the damage done before an all out new war is waged. I believe we have all had enough of that sort of thing to last many lifetimes."

"Perhaps," Severus mused. "I still haven't any idea what Windfall meant by the gate of life. Does it mean anything to you, Minerva?"

She shook her head silently as she closed the photo album and put it away. "Please try to remember, Severus."

"I can only do so much, Minerva," Severus replied. "Unless the centaurs release what they know, I doubt I'll be able to change that."

Filius entered the hospital with the twins in their tandem pushchair. One of the little girls began flapping her arms wildly and repeating, "Dada, Dada, Dada."

Minerva put the excited child in Severus' arms and she settled in easily and rested her head against his chest. She cooed at him and smiled. He shifted her slightly so that she would be comfortable and it dawned on him that he knew how to hold the girl. The centaurs might have taken his memory but they couldn't erase his body's reaction to holding a baby.

He looked down at the two girls as Minerva put the other one in his lap as well. Aside from noting that they were very cute as far as babies went, he felt no mental connection or bond with them. It further dawned on him that children of their tender age were unable of acting deceitfully with their emotions and that their delight with him must be genuine. The cat who had been shadowing him all day moved up and plopped himself right between the two children on his lap and gave each one a lick, which startled and tickled them.

His mind was swimming with questions about the children, their mother, and his relationship to all of them. Had he betrayed Lily, the one woman he'd ever truly loved, in exchange for this? Was that what he'd done or was he now betraying the new woman, what was her name? Camelot... that was it; was he now betraying her for memories of Lily?

His heart raced and one of the babies began crying as he was holding onto them a little too tightly. There was a pain in his head and his chest felt heavy as he struggled for breath.

"Take them," he begged Minerva. "I don't remember them. Give them to their mother and tell her to go. Send them all away! I don't want to see them again!"

"Take a deep breath," Poppy instructed as Minerva took the two little girls from him for their own safety. She summoned a Calming Draught from the potions cupboard and unstoppered it. "You're panicking. Take this and relax. You'll be fine in a moment."

Severus' hand was trembling so badly that he nearly spilled the contents of the vial on its way to his mouth but he was finally able to get enough of the potion into his system to stop shaking and lie back on the pillows, exhausted. Through partially opened eyes he saw Minerva calming the babies and a figure at the doorway.

"He should rest now," Poppy said as he fell unconscious.

When Severus opened his eyes again, the moon was sitting high in the sky outside of the closest window. The hospital wing was mostly quiet and he felt the cat lying on his legs. He looked next to him and saw that Camelot sat next to him, also looking out of the window; her chin rested on one hand. Her attention snapped to him as soon as he rustled the blanket.

"Where's Lucius?" Severus asked brusquely.

"He will be here in the morning," Lottie answered.

"I told Minerva to send you away," Severus told her. "I don't want you here."

"I know," she replied, "but I'm not going away so that you can shut down and pretend we never existed simply because the centaurs decided to meddle in things they had no business in. I love you too much to give up that easily."

"I don't love you," Severus spat back. "I love her."

"I know you do and I never asked you not to," Lottie responded quietly. "But you do love me. I know the bond is still there. That pain, right in the center of your chest, I feel it too. Some things can't be destroyed as easily as memories. The centaurs didn't count on that."

"Stay away from me. If you don't go, I will beat you until you do," Severus snarled.

"No, you won't," she said simply.

"How do you know I won't?" he demanded.

"The same way I know that you like marmalade on toast with breakfast, that you know all the words to A Hard Day's Night, and that you have the most adorable bunny shaped birthmark on your right buttock. I've learned it by knowing you; by watching you, by loving you, Severus," she told him.

"Don't tempt me to prove you wrong. I will hurt you," Severus threatened. Silence hung in the air for a few minutes before a question came to him. "Why did you try to go into the dark Forest on your own?"

"Because they hurt you," she replied. "I was somewhat out of my head at the time, but they will pay for the offense."

"That's really stupid," he said. "You could only take on a couple at a time and their numbers are strong in the forest. You don't stand a chance. They do horrible things to women who trespass in their territory."

"They can't do anything more to me than what's already been done, Severus," she answered. "Poppy will probably be out in a minute to give you a sleeping potion. Try to get some rest. I'm sorry I slapped you earlier. I lashed out without thinking. I know you wouldn't have called our girls that under normal circumstances."

"I really don't love you. I don't want this bond with you any longer," he told her. "I will break the bond you placed on me as soon as I am able. Do yourself the favor; take your babies and go. I love Lily and I'll have her back soon."

She stood up from her chair. He jumped briefly when she leaned over and kissed him. He didn't return it but sat there stunned. This was the same woman who slapped him earlier that day, even if she apologized; she still did it. He felt a tear fall from her cheek onto his own.

"If that is what your heart truly desires, Severus, you shall have it. I've only ever wanted you to be happy," she said softly. "You are my mate and I will always love you. The bond won't break easily but eventually, the pain will ease before drifting away completely. I'm going to take the girls and go home. I have faith that you'll remember. Hopefully before it's too late. Get some sleep, Love."

The light faded as she walked out with the lamp. He could hear the sob she let out as she turned the corner. Severus felt as though a stone slab was pressing on his chest and that he could scarcely breathe. The cat sauntered up and looked him in the face and meowed pitifully at him and began to purr as he licked at the center of Severus' robe where the pain in his chest was.

It was the kindest thing he could do to tell the woman to go. After all, it wasn't going to be reasonable for her to stay around when he didn't want her. He was going to have a life with the wife and children that he'd dreamed of since he was a boy.

After hearing Lottie leave, Poppy emerged from her office and handed Severus a sleeping potion. She'd talked to Lottie while he was unconscious earlier and knew that he would need something if he were going to rest. Lottie wanted to talk to him, and Poppy allowed it but by the sound of the young woman as she was leaving; the conversation obviously hadn't been a pleasant one.

"I don't think I should take another one," Severus said, wheezing a little bit. He pushed the cat off his chest.

"I do, Headmaster," she replied. "You won't sleep if your brain is going full tilt and I know you well enough to know that is exactly what is going on just now."

"Please do not let that woman in to see me again," Severus requested as he took the potion from the medi-witch.

"As you wish," Poppy said, retrieving the phial after he took the potion. "Sleep well, Severus."

Poppy waited until Severus was asleep, which took less than a minute, before she left to find Lottie since the conversation between the couple hadn't gone well. She didn't have to go far as she found the young mother sitting at the bottom of the stairwell facing looking across to the door that opened to the courtyard. She sounded as if she were desperately trying to get hold of her emotions and end her tears.

"Don't give up hope, my dear," Poppy said, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Lucius Malfoy will come tomorrow and the Minister of Magic. They'll get this sorted out."

"I know," Lottie replied as she drew in a deep breath and wiped her tears with a tissue. "At least, I hope they can. I don't understand why the centaurs did this and I don't much care. All I want is my mate restored. For now, I need to get the kids home. Those girls are so off their schedule that I'm dreading the next two days."

"I think it would be better if you stayed here for the time being," Poppy suggested. "I think having his family close would be more conducive to his recovery. Besides, you shouldn't be facing your difficulties alone either. The bond becomes more painful for you as it becomes weaker, doesn't it?"

Lottie nodded. "But don't tell him if he doesn't remember it on his own. He's got enough on his mind over not having all that he should _in_ his mind. Even if we stay, I need to get our things from home. I'm down to my last three nappies and no changes of clothes for the girls, let alone myself."

"We can send a house elf to get things for you and the apartment you stayed in is still in ready order," Poppy said. "You need sleep as well. I can get a potion for you."

"Not with two little girls that still aren't sleeping through the night," Lottie replied. "They're getting closer but just not quite there yet."

Lottie stood up and stretched and Poppy stood with her. "We'll get you all the help you need," the mediwitch said. "You don't have to be alone to deal with this."

"Let's go find my kids and then I'll decide," Lottie said.

Once the mediwitch steered the younger woman to the apartment she'd spent so many comfortable months in; it was easy to persuade her to remain at the school. Upon hearing that his family was remaining at Hogwarts, Kreacher dispatched himself to Spinner's End and gladly picked up all of the things to make the family at home.

After everything was settled and the small house elf Bunnie was sent to assist in the overnight care of the infants, Lottie finally took the offered sleeping potion so that she could face the coming day well rested.


	8. We Three Kings

Lucius Malfoy entered Hogwarts through the central Floo in the main hall at the entrance. He hadn't been back to the school since the battle. That time bore both good and horrific memories for him. He lost nearly everything he held dear to him during that battle but at the same time, he witnessed first-hand how wrong he'd been about half-blood and muggle born witches and wizards. They fought with a passion that no one in the Dark Lord's allies could even fathom. He was impressed by how well repaired the castle was. The only thing missing from the main hall were the original portraits of the four founders. He walked briskly toward the hospital wing, since that was his purpose in coming. His friend needed his help.

When they were both still boys, he taught Severus the art of Legilimancy and Occlumancy, though the elder was quickly surpassed by the younger. Even with the seven-year difference in age, Lucius saw something special in Severus; a quick mind and a readiness to be the best. There was also a scared, small boy who needed someone to look up to and when he was young; Lucius was that someone. Later, it was the Dark Lord and then, after Lily Potter was murdered; he supposed that someone became Dumbledore.

Whatever the years had done to either of them, Lucius never forgot the times that Severus assisted him and helped his family. After two miscarriages, Narcissa finally managed to carry Draco to term with the help of Severus' potions that kept her healthy. Lucius was certain that she wouldn't have made it without him. So he and his wife thought it only right to make Severus the baby's godfather after all that. Severus gave Draco an early start on his education, even though he claimed to hate children. Then, when things seemed most bleak, Severus took the Unbreakable Vow to spare Draco from having to murder Dumbledore. Even if he turned it around and arranged the death with the old codger, there was no reason he had to do it. Lucius knew that his wife was going to ask him to help but it was best that he said nothing about it. They were well out of favor by that time because of his own inability to perform the Dark Lord's commands. The loss of the Prophecy was only the icing on the cake, as it were.

His thoughts were interrupted by the voices of two girls arguing near the stairs to the hospital wing.

"Stop being such a baby, Sarah. Your snowball didn't put the Headmaster in the hospital wing. I heard the other teachers talking about it. It's something that happened in the Forbidden Forest," one young voice said. "C'mon, let's go. Professor Sprout loaned us the hats and gloves because of your whining so we might as well go out."

"I wasn't whining!" the younger girl insisted. "I just told her that Professor Snape said we couldn't go out 'cause we don't have any."

"He wouldn't have known the difference," the elder retorted. "Besides, what makes you think he really cares anyway. He's just worried that someone will complain. Like that's gonna happen for us."

"He sent tea and biscuits to the common room for us, didn't he?" the younger defended the headmaster. "And he told us to let Professor Sprout know, remember?"

The elder girl faltered for a moment. "Well, just don't go begging for anything else. The Ministry can't afford to buy us junk like hats and scarves. There's only enough money for our school fees and one set of books. Once I pass my OWLs and get a job then you and Edward can finish school. For now, you'll just have to make do with what I can hand down."

"You don't have to be so mean, Janey," Sarah pouted. "I just wanted to do something nice for the Headmaster."

"Yeah, and you wasted three sheets of parchment we didn't have to spare to do it," the elder scolded. "Anyway, I'm going out. You do what you want."

The girl called Sarah sat down on the bottom stair in front of the hospital wing and folded her arms over her chest. The elder, Jane, went through the door to the courtyard. Lucius turned the corner and the little girl jumped up to make way. He motioned for her to sit and then took a place beside her.

"That's a very serious expression for so young a face," he said quietly. "What's troubling you, Child?"

"My sister is so mean now!" the brown haired, dark eyed child blurted out before blushing and looking down. "She didn't used to be. We used to laugh and have loads of fun. We almost never fought before Mummy and Dad went away."

"It has been my experience," he replied to the girl, "that when someone who isn't normally mean starts behaving that way, it usually means they are very worried about something. Do you think she might be worried or scared?"

The girl shrugged. "Maybe. I mean, I did use three sheets of parchment to make a get well card for Professor Snape."

"May I see it?" Lucius asked. The young girl handed her folded card over to him and he looked at the drawing of a snowman with a ball and snowflakes animated to fall gently around him. He threw the ball and it appeared to hit a window and the words 'Get Well Soon' appeared. Inside was written 'I'm sorry my snowball made you ill. I hope you are out of the hospital soon. Love, Sarah Milford' He avoided the urge to chuckle. "This is very well done. Did you make it move like that?"

"Yes, I learned how to make drawings move from a book from the library," Sarah replied. "But I don't think I'll be allowed to give it to him. Madam Pomfrey has the door closed."

"This is very good," Lucius praised. "I didn't learn how to charm pictures until I was already in my third year."

"You went to school here too?" Sarah asked.

"A very long time ago," Lucius replied. "I will offer you a solution to your problem, Young Lady. I happen to be a very old friend of the Headmasters and I will take your card to him if you will go outside, find your sister, and tell her that you are sorry for quarrelling with her. Is that a fair proposition?"

Sarah nodded and a smile came to the little girl's face. "Thank you, Mister... oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sarah Milford."

"Very pleased to meet you, Miss Milford. My name is Lucius Mal... you may just call me Lucius," he said, not knowing if his identity would frighten her. It did to most people.

"You can just call me Sarah," she responded, still smiling. "Thank you, Mister Lucius!"

He was startled by the little girl throwing her arms around his neck to hug him and then running off to find her sister. He kept the card in hand as he allowed himself a brief smile as he watched her go outside; her worries alleviated. He wished all problems were so easily solved.

Lucius went up the stairs and through the door to the hospital wing and saw Severus still sleeping, though it looked as though here was starting to rouse. Madam Pomfrey delivered a fresh breakfast tray to him, and she was checking his vital statistics. There was some black sort of furry thing lying at the end of the bed with him. Lucius guessed that it was supposed to be a cat.

"Madam," Lucius greeted as she finished. "How is he this morning?"

"He slept well. His heart rate and pain responses are elevated but his mental pathways seem to be normal," Poppy replied. "He had an episode of panic when the babies were first brought to him but everything seems even now. I've never seen such a reaction from the Headmaster in all the years I've known him."

"As I understand everything from yesterday, he was slipped a fugue potion before being obliviated," Lucius recited what he recalled from the previous day's call. He was rather inebriated when the call came but as soon as he heard that Severus needed help; Lucius resolved to sober up and help him.

"Yes, I found traces of the potion in his system and the Obliviation was too obvious," Poppy replied.

"But he panicked when dealing with the children?" Lucius prodded.

"Yes, and was dreadfully unpleasant to Miss Nikos," Poppy said. "Completely uncharacteristic considering how he normally behaves around her. He told her that he wanted to break their bond and that he didn't love her."

"And news reports said she was siren or half so?" Lucius asked as he made his mental compilation of facts. Upon confirmation from Poppy, he continued. "Strange as this may seem, the panic response was actually a good thing. It means the mental pathway is still there. Had there been no reaction at all; there is little I could do for him. Where is the family now?"

"Miss Nikos and the twins remained in the castle last night. It was very late and I thought it best that she stay here where she could receive support as well," Poppy replied. "She's feeling a great deal of pain from the bond so I thought it advisable that she stay."

"Under no circumstances are they to leave," Lucius ordered. "It's imperative that until his memory returns, he must have contact with the family."

"What if he doesn't want it?" Severus asked, groggily. The cat woke at the same time and stretched out until he was almost as long as Severus' calf. He purred loudly as Severus sat up. "You are starting to rankle my nerves, Cat."

"May we have some privacy, Madam Pomfrey?" Lucius requested. She nodded and returned to her office.

The cat seemed not to care that he was in the way as he laid next to the Headmaster. Lucius moved to Severus' bedside and waved a spell over him. He also handed the card over.

"From one of your students," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I was," Severus replied, looking at the card. His brow furrowed as he muttered something about children being full of strange ideas. Lucius waved a diagnostic spell over him.

"Your vitals look normal. How is the pain in your chest?" Lucius interrogated the younger man with a slightly softened air for his friend.

"It still feels very heavy, like something has been pressed on it," Severus answered. The cat at the end of the bed looked up at him affronted, as if he were being accused. "I know it wasn't you, Cat."

"Better or worse than yesterday?" Lucius continued, disregarding the cat. "Or is it the same?"

"Slightly better but that woman... Camelot, stupid name; she said it would fade and disappear when the bond broke," Severus reported.

Lucius conjured a piece of parchment, ink and quill to take some notes. "Did she say anything else about it?"

"No, why?" Severus responded.

"I'm just gathering information, Severus. You should know as well as anyone that a job cannot be done well without all pertinent facts at hand," Lucius said. "Where is your Pensieve?"

"In my office. It's been there for years," Severus replied. "It was helpful for Dumbledore as well as myself."

"Should have know that meddling old codger would want to play with everyone's magical toys," Lucius sneered. "I gave that to _you_, Severus."

"And I've used it often," Severus answered. "There was so much going on, especially during the war..."

Lucius waved it off. "Doesn't matter. He's dead now but keep it close, my friend. That is a one of a kind item. Should it be destroyed, no amount of storage will help your memory. Where are your memories held?"

"Everything from before the war is at Gringotts. I stored them there for safety," Severus explained. "The memories from after waking up are in my office."

"You will have to get the phials from Gringotts," Lucius said. "I should rather you not travel alone until I have ascertained exactly how much damage has been done, however."

"What do you mean 'how much damage'?" Severus asked as his brow furrowed.

Lucius sat on the chair next to Severus' bed and explained, "Currently; your brain has hundreds, perhaps thousands of tiny holes since Obliviation was never meant to be used on large-scale memories without something to replace them. Because whoever did this to you did not know you well enough to replace those memories with anything plausible; you are currently leaking information. Your knowledge base is rather sieve-like. That you even had to ask is proof enough of a certain amount of loss. However, once we begin to fortify your memories from the copies you've kept, your knowledge base should recover fully."

Severus took the explanation in and mulled it over. He could be losing more memories and knowledge just sitting there. He still felt normal, aside from not remembering that woman or the children. Of course, his interaction with her the night before left him with more conflicting thoughts than ever.

"What is on your mind, Severus?" Lucius asked. "I can still tell when your thoughts are going at full speed."

Severus looked around to ensure that they would not be overheard when he cleared his throat. "Last night, Camelot was here when I woke. We talked for a few minutes and then she kissed me. I enjoyed it even though it surprised me."

"Well, that's hardly startling news," Lucius commented. "What's your concern?"

"It was comforting. Considering that I'd just told her that I wanted to break whatever bond exists between us, I didn't expect that sort of warmth," Severus explained, knowing that whatever he told Lucius would be confidential.

"I'm not nearly as surprised about it," Lucius commented. "You're experiencing the physical responses to memories that have no current frame of reference whereas she does. All of your experiences together are solely safeguarded by her, for the time being."

"Did I betray her by telling her that I want the bond broken so that I can use the Resurrection Stone?" Severus questioned himself more than Lucius but he was grateful to have a sounding board.

"I can't tell you if she'd consider it in that light or not," Lucius replied. "These thoughts, however, are the very reason you must continue to interact with her and the babies regularly. If, once your memory is restored, still wish to break your bond; it will be with full knowledge of what you are sacrificing and its consequences."

Severus stood up from the hospital bed and grabbed his robes. "I will return in just a moment," he said. Lucius waited patiently and after a few minutes, Severus had returned from the hospital wing shower, dressed and looking as though he were ready to leave.

Just then, Minerva entered the hospital with the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt and another man with tanned, olive skin, dark hair and a close cut mane of curls. He looked somewhat familiar though Severus could not place him immediately.

"Severus," Minerva said. "I'm glad you're awake. There have been some developments."

"May we hold this meeting off for a few minutes, Professor?" Lucius asked.

"The Minister hasn't much time, Mister Malfoy," Minerva replied. She still wasn't willing to trust Lucius though she would try to keep an open mind for Severus' sake.

"I do understand that and with all due respect, Minister," Lucius said, directing his comments to the higher ranked man. "I wish to ensure that Headmaster Snape is not unduly stressed at this time. His memories are in an unstable fluctuation. Extra stress will not be helpful."

"I don't wish to cause any problems, Mister Malfoy," Kingsley replied. "I have just returned from the Centaur Enclave with information assisted by Mister Nikos' knowledge of the situation. If this is not a good time..."

"I'm fine," Severus barked before glaring at the dark haired man whom he now recognized as Lancelot Nikos, Camelot's brother. "She doesn't want to see you."

Lucius watched Severus carefully. "How do you know that?"

"I just do," Severus replied. "I have no idea how I know."

"Ah, Dad didn't get all of them," Lancelot smirked. "Good. Any idea why Camie doesn't want to see me?"

"You know bloody well why," Camelot growled as she rushed into the room and lunged at her brother.

Tunnel vision took over as she swung back a fist, and before he knew what hit him; Lancelot was on the floor with a broken nose. She was atop him with her wand drawn and pointed directly in his face. Her hands shook in silent fury ready for the slightest provocation to kill him.

Fortunately, the Minister of Magic quickly grabbed her wand hand. He wrapped his arms around her firmly and pulled her away from her brother though a few well aimed kicks reached their intended target's ribs.

"As much as I understand your anger, Doctor," he said, using her proper title, "I cannot let you murder a man in cold blood."

"He sacrificed my child to save his own arse," Lottie spat. "He deserves to die."

"I never did, Camie," Lance said, standing up. "I don't know what you think you know but you're wrong."

Lottie glared at him with all the hatred her entire being could muster. She didn't want to hear anything he had to say. She could not begin to express how much she wanted him to suffer the way she had.

Minerva came to the woman's side and whispered in her ear. "Remain calm. Do not give him the satisfaction of seeing you in turmoil."

Lottie relaxed her body so that the Minister would release her. Minerva was right. She needed to focus. She could kill her brother later. Right now, Severus needed help and her unbridled anger wouldn't do him any good. She practiced some of the techniques that Severus had taught her to calm her mind and put aside emotion.

Severus watched the exchange in a detached though fascinated manner. He didn't remember why she hated her brother so much, but it was damned satisfying to watch her punch him.

Lucius caught Severus' eye, and he quirked an eyebrow at the slight smile on his friend's face. Clearly, he had some thoughts that hadn't been affected or were not yet missing. Lucius knew they were playing against time to get Severus' memories restored.

"What we have learned," Kingsley said, releasing Lottie once she'd calmed, "is that while the centaur seer was indeed the culprit in slipping you the potion, Severus; it was Dionysus Nikos, who performed the memory charm. He allied with the centaurs, who had intentions of returning the Resurrection Stone regardless, by paying them with the gift of an oracle. An item of some power from Greece, if I'm understanding correctly."

Lottie's head whipped around to look at the Minister. "It's not 'an oracle', Minister. It is The Oracle. There's only one and that ancient flotsam is a piece of junk! It hasn't made an accurate prediction in almost a hundred years."

"That's not exactly right, Camie," Lance interrupted. "If you give me a chance, I think it'll help explain why he's going through all this trouble."

"If it helps Severus, then speak," Lottie snapped. "More than that, I don't really care what you have to say."

"The year you were born, the Oracle made a prediction that Dad would be killed by his eldest granddaughter," Lance said.

"Hannah was a six week old infant when she was brutally murdered," Lottie growled. "So the Oracle wasn't exactly on its game, was it?"

"Oh for the love of the Gods," Lance exhaled, exasperated. "Would you THINK for a minute? Didn't it ever occur to you that Mum and Dad were rather a bit old when you were born? Why do you suppose you were named Camelot? Guinevere was already given to my elder sister."

"We don't have a... oh my God," Lottie began, but the color soon drained from her face in understanding. She then turned to look out the window. She couldn't get sidetracked. "This has nothing to do with why he attacked Severus. What would assaulting my mate do?"

"Well, it is his hope that the bond breaks between you," Lance replied. "He can't kill you outright, and he's already tried a number of times. He thought that by turning you in during the war; other's would have succeeded where he failed, but you just won't die. He's tried to track you without luck, and he can't actually walk on to the Hogwarts grounds. He tried many times and was repelled. If you hadn't given that interview, then he would have never found you. I didn't know what he was up to at first, but things weren't adding up."

"What does he want?" Severus asked Lance, gruffly.

"Well, simply put, he wants her dead, preferably by her own hand," Lance answered. "In exchange, he offers your memories returned, complete."

"So you've come to facilitate his murder of a woman whose only crime is living despite his desires," Severus drawled sarcastically. "That's very noble of you."

"I... I need some air," Lottie said suddenly. She was overwhelmed by all the information that she'd just been assaulted with. Even with the calming techniques she'd tried, her mind was flooded with emotion.

Everything she'd ever thought she knew was crumbling around her and at that moment, she couldn't stand to be in the room with people staring at her. She fled the hospital wing as quickly as she could manage without actually running out of the door and left the rest of them standing there.

"Mister Nikos," Severus began, his face and demeanor calm but his voice dripped with venom. "You may tell your father that he has once again failed in his attempt to murder his daughter, or granddaughter, as the case may be. I have no need for his reversal of the memory charm that has affected me. I do, however, take great exception to being used as his unwitting assassin. Excuse me."

Severus walked out of the hospital wing and began searching the castle for the woman to whom he was bonded. Whatever he decided later; he did not want her doing something incredibly stupid simply because she thought it was to his benefit to do so. He noticed footprints through the courtyard and into the snow. They were too large to be one of the children, and by the length of the stride, she'd been running when she'd gone.

He finally spied her kneeling next to the Black Lake, which was only recently frozen over. A fine layer of flakes was already settling on her hair and clothes. She was breathing heavily when he caught up to her, and she reared up and screamed abruptly.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked as soon as she let out her last breath of anger.

"I can't take any more," she cried, as she inhaled and took in some much-needed oxygen. "I can't fight."

"I doubt that," Severus replied. "Considering the way you broke Lancelot Nikos' nose, I cannot believe you have no desire to fight."

"I should have killed him," she told him as she roughly wiped tears away from her face. "I hesitated."

"I assume that is because it is not in your nature to be a murderer," Severus answered. "Not everyone is cut out to kill. There's no shame in it. I must say you're getting very overwrought from a minor issue."

"My mate having his brain scrambled by my insane father is not a minor issue," she seethed. "Being told everything you thought you knew was a lie isn't insignificant, Severus. My life and survival are major. I don't even know what to do."

"The first thing you could do is go inside," Severus suggested. "It's freezing out here. As for my mind, it will be fixed soon enough and without any assistance from your father."

"Or whatever he is," Lottie coughed as she reached for a handkerchief from her pocket. "Gods above, I'm so confused I don't know which end is up anymore."

"That makes two of us, though for vastly different reasons," Severus said as he held out a hand to help her get to her feet which she accepted shakily. He put his other arm around her waist and guided her back toward the castle.

Minerva stood near the door with the Minister and Lucius, who looked rather satisfied, yet still concerned. Severus waved off any interference as he walked the woman in his arms past them.

"Meet me in my office in fifteen minutes," he told them as he headed through the corridors, led largely by instinct.

They arrived at the apartment where she was staying with the girls and he felt as though he knew the route but as with everything else involving them, he had no idea why. The cat who had been shadowing him since the previous day sat by the door looking expectant, as if to ask where they had been. Lottie opened the door and they stepped inside along with the cat who made himself at home in front of the fireplace.

"MUM MEEE!" shrieked Audy as they entered. It startled the young house elf who was looking after the babies. The baby then started opening and closing her hands in a 'hold me' fashion that elicited a small chuckle from her mother.

"I believe that your survival is important to a few individuals around here," Severus offered as he picked the baby up. "Perhaps you should change and then get your daughter."

"She's our daughter," Lottie corrected. "Thank you. You were very kind despite me slapping you yesterday. I am sorry for that."

"As Minerva told me, I should not have insulted our children," Severus said. "You remind me of Lily in some ways."

"I don't want to remind you of your Lily," Lottie replied as she went into the bedroom. "I want to remind you of me."

She closed the door so that she could change, and Severus bounced the child he held within his arms.

"I believe your mother is having what one might consider to be a bad day," he told her. "Perhaps you and your sister can make her feel better after I leave. I have something important that I must do."

After a few minutes sitting quietly with the twins, Severus felt as though he was completely at home with them. He held both girls in his lap and watched as they babbled to each other and to him as if he understood. Soon after, Lottie returned to the sitting room and took Audy. She sat next to him on the sofa and watched the fire.

"May I ask your forbearance for a moment?" he requested from her.

"Of course," she answered.

"Thank you," he said as he set Lily on the couch on the opposite side of him and leaned forward and kissed her. Surprised, she returned the kiss warmly. "I just needed to see if it felt the same as last night."

"What did it feel like last night?" Lottie asked, trying to forget about everything else that was on her mind.

Severus felt a little teasing, wicked impulse in the back of his mind, and he smiled.

"Exactly the same as it did today," he replied. "If you'll pardon me, I need to see Lucius about a few things, and then I have something to discuss with the Minister regarding the Resurrection Stone."

Lottie nodded as she reached over and put Lily on her lap with Audy. "Be safe."

Severus left the apartment with the cat following him to the door.

"Stay here," he told the animal. "I'm leaving the premises, and you will not be able to come."

The cat sauntered back into the apartment and flopped in front of the hearth once again as Severus closed the door. He was thinking more clearly since speaking with Lucius earlier and the sense of what he'd said had truly impacted Severus.

As he arrived in his office, the door was open and Lucius, Kingsley and Minerva were present but no sign of Lancelot.

"He has returned to the Ministry until an envoy can escort him safely back to the sirens' home island," Kingsley offered to Severus' look around. "He also wished to give assurances that he bears none of the same feelings as the elder Mister Nikos. He merely wanted to inform Camelot of that which he had only recently become aware."

"Thank you, Minister," Severus said, keeping his thoughts to himself. "I feel that I must insist from this point forward that the centaurs remain away from the Hogwarts grounds. I was assured that I would not be harmed while answering their summons, 'upon pain of death by the seer' was the phrase used. Therefore, I believe that their honor has been fundamentally damaged."

"The enclave leaders were in agreement with your assessment that the seer did not live up to her bonded word, and she is to be executed at dawn. Firenze offered testimony that he was sent to get you, and he was given assurances your journey to and from the enclave was to be in safety. He is innocent of any malice as he was not allowed to refuse her demand," Kingsley reported. "The herd elders have agreed to the forfeiture of sixteen acres of hunting grounds for one solar year as a penalty as well. Unless you wish to apply for other concessions as the aggrieved party, Severus, everything is settled."

"I believe there is another party that has been injured far more severely than myself, Minister," Severus said as he pulled out the handkerchief that contained the Resurrection Stone. "Perhaps it is she who should be asked if she wishes additional penalties. First, however, I would like to ask if they offered any further information about the 'gate of life' she spoke of."

"They did not," Kingsley replied.

"But I believe I may have an idea about that," Lucius offered. "The archway in the Department of Mysteries has an indentation that has always appeared to be missing something. It could perhaps be the stone. Given that its whereabouts was, by and large, unknown, I would not be surprised if it did fit. What do you want to do with it?"

"If it's designed to return someone from the dead," Severus said. "I know who I desire to return."

* * *

**Author's Note**: I know a lot of you have been waiting to find out what was going on and I hope this chapter did not disappoint. There's more story to unfold and I hope I didn't lose any of you. There was a lot of story that happened this time.


	9. Auld Lang Syne

Lottie sat quietly with Audrina and Lilianna for a while after Severus left. She didn't know quite what to make of his behavior. It was what she was used to; kind, caring, and even a little teasing. It was the exact opposite of his behavior immediately after being taken to the hospital wing the day before. Even without his memories, he was still very much the man she loved.

Then, there was the information that her brother had laid at her feet. Well, she supposed he was really her uncle, although the thought didn't make her like him any better. He was still a spoiled, slimy git that she'd be happy never to see again in this lifetime. Of course, she had a million questions running through her mind about what he had told her. Why hadn't Dino killed her when she was an infant, if she was such a threat? What happened to Guinevere? How did the woman she thought was her mother die? Why was she sent to Greece rather than to her birth mother?

There was little chance of getting answers to any of those questions at the moment. She kissed each of the twins' heads and sighed. "I don't know if we're ever going to live a normal, quiet life for long, Girls. We'll have to do our best though, and I hope you'll forgive Dada and me if we're not very successful."

'Or just Dada,' she thought, morbidly.

Lottie gave herself a small mental shake and cleared such gloomy thoughts from her head. She needed to have faith in Severus now. With Mister Malfoy's help, surely he would remember after a while. Her head started to ache miserably, and it was still hours until nap time for the girls.

* * *

Severus walked briskly; his footfalls echoing through the glossy corridor of the Department of Mysteries. He knew what he wanted to accomplish and wished to waste no time. He was followed closely by Kingsley and Lucius, both concerned for the events that had taken place. Lucius didn't want the younger man to do anything that would jeopardize his future with his children and their mother. Kingsley was concerned about the activation of such a device as the Veil in the Department of Mysteries.

As it was, the department had been badly damaged the last time unauthorized persons had infiltrated and had never fully recovered. The room that contained the Veil was dimly lit in a dull bluish hue from the archway itself. Severus pulled the handkerchief that contained the legendary rock from within his pocket. He walked carefully around the arch looking for the divot that looked as if the Resurrection Stone would fit. Finally, he found a cove and placed the polished stone within it where it sank until it was flat with the bottom of the opening. The center of the archway began to pulse a bright blue and faces formed and melted back into the swirling light before a tall, thin, sandy haired man stepped out of the swirling light. After a moment, his body formed into a physical being and Remus Lupin stood in the room fully returned to the world. His nude form shivered involuntarily, a glitch that Severus hadn't fully considered.

Thankfully, Kingsley and Lucius were watching from a control room and, within a few seconds; medical wizards were on hand with blankets. Lupin was confused and disoriented as he was lowered onto a stretcher while the medics sent diagnostic spells at the newly revived man. After a few blasts from a breathing spell, Remus seemed to come around and started checking out his surroundings before he spied Severus' familiar face.

"What happened? Why... am I here?" he asked. Even though he knew that the man hated him, Remus reached out to Severus.

"You're here because your son needs his parents," Severus said as he took the man's hand.

"'Dora?" Remus questioned.

"She's not here yet," Severus said. "I was thinking of the both of you when I placed the stone. I will look for a solution."

He considered for a moment that perhaps it was because he knew Lupin the longest that the Veil between life and death chose him to return first. Severus went around the archway and saw that the Resurrection Stone had been ejected from the hole. He thought that perhaps it was only one request per insertion. He took the stone back and tried to imagine Nymphadora Tonks as he knew her in life before replacing it. The archway sprung to life once again with faces morphing back and forth within the center as the body formed, much quicker this time. Now that the medics knew what to expect, they were ready with a blanket.

As soon as her eyes fell on Remus, Tonks reached out for him and grabbed his hand. Severus recognized that as being the sign of true love. He knew that feeling.

"You can't save them all," Kingsley said. "Is there anyone else?"

"Just one," Severus said. He took the stone in hand and it was very hot, but he really needed one more. He focused all of his mental energy on the last person he wanted to recover and replaced the stone into its setting.

This time when the archway swirled with faces, they were ones he'd rather not have seen at all; Death Eaters, his father, Bellatrix Lestrange. He closed his eyes and focused on the young ginger that was his target. Finally a body formed and the smiling face of Fred Weasley appeared. The archway went completely dark and the stone shot out and landed a fair distance away, glowing red. Severus went to look at the stone. He could feel the heat coming from it without touching it and he dared not try to pick it up at all.

"It looks as though it may need to cool off," he told Kingsley. "I suppose I really am finished after that. Even if it were ready to be used again, I don't think I could. That little stone is far too much power for me. I leave it with you, Minister."

Severus moved back to where the medics were attending the newly revived and looked to see if they were all right. They certainly appeared to be as well as they were in life before but there was no way to be certain if Lupin still had his lycanthropy. Even if he did, Severus would make the Wolfsbane potion since he was the one that called the man back from the dead.

"Mum and Dad?" Fred Weasley asked. "Are they..."

"Everyone is fine," Severus told him as the young man was lying on a stretcher. "Just missing their son and brother."

Lucius stepped forward and said softly, "You should let them go to hospital. You still have your own memories to deal with and it's getting late. If we wait much longer, you may not be able to get to your vault."

Severus nodded and let the medi-wizards take Fred, Remus and Dora. Kingsley walked out with Severus and Lucius as he still needed to attend the last business with the centaurs.

"If you don't mind, Severus," he said. "I will return to Hogwarts to speak with Doctor Karas about her wishes regarding the centaurs."

"Not at all," Severus said, his mind now entirely focused on retrieving the cases from his vault.

* * *

Bunnie?" Lottie called out hoarsely. Merlin's beard, she sounded like crap!

Her mind immediately answered, '_What did you expect; running out into the freezing cold like that? A bit stupid to let __that arsehole get the better of you that way.'_

"How may Bunnie assist you, Miss?" the diminutive house elf asked.

"Will you look after the girls for a little while?" she requested. "I need a hot bath and a bit of quiet."

"Of course, Miss," Bunnie replied eagerly. "Bunnie likes watching the little witches."

Just as Lottie put the girls down to play with Bunnie, there was a knock on the door. She swore as she opened it and found Harry waiting to enter.

"What are you doing here, Sweetheart?" Lottie croaked. "I thought you were spending time with the Weasleys."

"I was but when I went back to the house to grab some clothes; Kreacher told me that Dad had gotten hurt," Harry explained as he entered. "It didn't take me long to figure out where you'd be. How is he?"

"He's lost his memory of the girls and me," Lottie explained. "My father, or rather, the man I thought was my father, attacked him in the forest. The centaurs slipped him a potion that rendered him vulnerable."

Harry sat on the couch. He was lost for words for a brief moment. Finally, his mind cleared enough to comment. "I never thought he could be vulnerable to potions."

"The centaurs have a different way of doing things, Harry," Lottie said with a cough. "Their potion techniques are pretty much unknown to the wizard world in general."

"You sound awful again," Harry observed. "I suppose your stress is through the roof at the moment."

"You might say that," Lottie replied. "I was just going to take a hot bath and lie down when you knocked."

"Sorry," he said. "I can help look after the girls while you get some rest. It might help if I'm here if Dad comes here."

"I doubt he will, Sweetheart," Lottie told him. "The reason he went to the centaurs in the first place was because they were returning the Resurrection Stone to him. There's something he has to do with it, and he was going to talk to the Minister."

"You don't think he's going to try and bring Mum back, do you?" Harry asked. His voice mixed concern, hope and fear all at the same time and Lottie could very much understand why he felt that way. Lily was his true mother, after all.

"It's what he said he wanted last night, but he was acting very differently today so I can't say for certain," Lottie replied. "The only thing I can do right now is to have some faith in him."

"That's a load of bollocks and you know it!" Harry exclaimed. "You have to go and tell him how you feel."

"Harry, you know how Severus is," Lottie said. "If I push, he will do the exact opposite just to be difficult. He knows I love him. I've made that very clear to him and I think he's still feeling love for me, even if he doesn't remember everything that we've been through."

"I've been reading up on sirens and you have the bond with him, right?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I did. It happened before I was even aware of it. The song was sung unexpectedly," Lottie replied. "I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't realize it'd happened until the next morning."

"How can you not know that you were singing?" Harry asked. "Everything I've found has been vague on what exactly the song is."

Lottie blushed about six shades of scarlet. This was not a conversation she'd ever planned to have with the young man unless he had, by some strange coincidence, met up with another female siren.

"The siren's song isn't a vocal thing," Lottie said. "It happens during an intimate interlude with a partner; when their two bodies synchronize, and come together during... that special moment."

"You know, I think I could have gone the whole rest of my life without that visual popping to mind," Harry groaned. It would take an especially strong obliviation charm to make the thought of Severus and Lottie having sex disappear.

"Almost as disturbing as the idea that you and Ginny were having makeup sex was to me," Lottie replied. Harry turned about as red as he could go.

"We were not having makeup sex!" he declared.

Lottie coughed as she laughed. "There's nothing wrong with it, you know."

"Yeah, but we've never... I mean, I've never... with anyone," Harry stammered.

"You should, at some point," Lottie replied. "Trust me, the first time is not the best. You'll be awkward and fumble around trying to get everything right but the second time is usually awesome."

"Mum!" Harry exclaimed. Lily wandered toward him in her walker and stopped and babbled at him happily. "I don't want to talk about this with you."

"Well you need to talk to someone about it," Lottie told him. "I daresay that sex education hasn't become part of the Hogwarts curriculum and it is a natural act. Perhaps once Severus is back to normal, he should talk to you."

"I don't need talked to about that," Harry said. "Please, for the love of my sanity; go get your bath and lay down. I'll stay with Bunnie and the girls."

Lottie happily retreated to the bathroom for a little quiet. Having time to soak in a hot tub, she could let her mind mull over all the things that had happened.

Meanwhile, Harry contented himself playing with Lily and Audrina as they moved about in their walkers. Bunnie was close by to ensure that they remained safe and she beamed at Harry.

"You has grown up very well, young Master," she said.

"Thank you, Bunnie," he replied blushing. He'd forgotten that she'd known him as a toddler. It was easy to forget a thing like that when the memories don't last as well as they should.

* * *

Severus made his way to Gringotts with Lucius who went to speak with a goblin about some business while Severus went to his personal vault which was adjacent to the Prince family vault. He'd never much bothered with the holdings from his mother's family as they were quite put out that she married a muggle. Knowing his father, Severus couldn't blame them. He was the last of the line, however, so everything fell to him once his grandparents died. Now he supposed, it would be passed down to his children after he died.

He resisted the natural curiosity and instead went to his own modest vault where he entered and retrieved three small cases from the far shelf. These were the memories of the last three years before the Battle at Hogwarts. Everything he had from the last year were in his office near the Pensieve. He'd been in the habit of keeping the most recent memories close at hand as those were the ones that would usually need returning to.

By the time Severus returned to the bank lobby, Lucius had finished whatever business he'd decided to take care of. He sat patiently on a bench waiting and the image reminded Severus of someone else waiting for him on that same exact bench.

He let the thought go and the two men returned to Hogwarts via Floo and headed immediately to his office with their precious cargo. His memories could not be utilized and given back to him too soon.

They went into the office and locked the door. Severus did not want to be disturbed for anything. He went through his memories of the year before he was attacked by Nagini quickly as there was nothing there that he could not remember on his own. Lucius insisted that he look through them all, however, as he wanted to take no chances on any tears in the younger man's memories. It was close to midnight before Severus got to his memories of the previous year.

"Perhaps you should rest now," Lucius suggested. "These contain the memories that you do not hold and may take more energy to consider."

"I will press on," Severus said. "I feel very close to completion. You know I've never been averse to hard work."

He removed the memory from the Pensieve and poured in the silvery mist of memories from the previous December. Lucius followed him in.

Severus saw himself lying prone in a bed, thin and paler than even normal beneath a thick growth of black beard with streaks of silver running through both it and his hair. He looked older than his nearly forty years.

"You look awful," Lucius said.

"I noticed that," Severus replied.

As he watched himself lying prone, Severus saw Lottie walk in and open the curtains. If he thought his own form was thin and weak, she looked skeletal and like the walking dead in comparison. She stopped to look at several muggle medical devices, taking notes and administering some potion through a tube attached to his arm.

Once she finished that, she moved to the window and looked out to the road below. Sunlight flooded the room and she then set to washing his body while he sweat and vomited without waking.

"_G... g... good mor...n-n-n-ing, Professor," she said to his unconscious form. "You... you'll f-f-f-feel bet-ter af-ter. You al-ways do. It's w... w... warm for D.. dec...em... ber. To-day is two hunnn-dred and t-t-t-twen-ty nine days since you were hurt. M...m... mister Pot-ter will c-c-come home for Christ-mas. He s-s-sent his us-u-al let-ter asking a-bout you. He w-w-wants you to be w-w-w-well."_

_The memory Severus started to cry and called out, "Lily, don't leave me."_

_The woman startled but quickly recovered and pulled out a handkerchief to dab his eyes for him. "Shh. Don't cry. She's gone. I...I'm sorry."_

_She then ran her free hand through his hair until he quieted. Once he had, she removed the fouled basin of water. Kreacher entered next to levitate Severus' body and swap out the soiled sheets for fresh. _

"I don't remember this at all," Severus said to Lucius. "How could I?"

"Your mind kept the information for you, even if you weren't fully conscious. How long did she say you were there?" Lucius asked.

"Two hundred and twenty nine days," Severus answered. "That makes this December 18th. That's the day I first woke."

"Then you must have been aware on some level," Lucius said. They resumed watching as Lottie returned and started moving Severus' limbs for him.

"_T-t-time for ex-er-cise," she told him as she pumped his legs for him. Then she moved his arms and manipulated his neck and head. "Not g-g-get-ting fat and lazy on m-m-my watch, Professor."_

Lucius covered his mouth to shade his smile of amusement. Severus was neither amused or annoyed but rather fascinated in watching himself completely vulnerable yet being in no danger whatsoever of attack. Once she finished his exercise, she covered him with the fresh sheet and blanket that Kreacher put on the bed only a short time before.

_The memory Severus opened his eyes and snarled through a very dry mouth, "Too bright!"_

_Lottie moved and closed the draperies without comment. _

"_Where am I?" he asked._

"_Safe" she answered him quietly as she fumbled in her pocket for a potion. "Drink."_

_The Severus from the memory handed the potion back. "I prefer to brew my own. What's your name?" _

_She shoved the phial back into his hand and closed his fingers around it._

_"Drink," the woman managed. "N... now."_

_"For Merlin's sake, Woman, speak in sentences," Severus growled, throwing the potion across the room, shattering the phial against the opposing wall. "Speak!"_

"You never were much of a morning person," Lucius commented dryly.

"As though you are one to talk," Severus replied. "I was confused and angry. I remember this. Harry will be coming soon. She'll leave to get another potion and just after; he turns up."

"Do you wish to finish this or press forward?" Lucius asked.

"I remember this now," Severus said. "I want to move on."

The memory slowly shifted away and was replaced with the drawing room of Grimmauld Place where the Weasleys and Potter were gathered with his memory self. Harry, Ron, Hermione and George were gathered around the table playing a board game. It looked like a muggle game with small plastic cars that carried pegs around it but the pieces had been enchanted to call out to the players and swear at one another.

"Charming," Lucius sneered at the base crudeness of the figures.

Meanwhile, Severus took in the scene from another angle. He sat by the fire reading as Molly and Fleur were positioned on the couch; the elder with her knitting and the pregnant younger closed her eyes for a rest. Arthur, Bill and Charlie stood to another side talking amongst themselves quietly while Ginny Weasley was at the sidebar pouring wine. Finally, he noticed Lottie sitting in a far corner with a book. She looked exhausted, unhappy and as though she were trying desperately to be unnoticed.

Severus saw Ginny dose one of the portions of wine with a potion then hand it to Lottie who hadn't seen the interference. She then took the remaining unaltered glasses around the room.

"What is that girl up to?" Lucius asked.

"Drugging Camelot with a libido enhancing potion," Severus replied angrily. They watched the performance twice more before Lottie moved from her hidden little stool and leaned on the arm of Severus' chair.

Severus felt a chill go down his own neck in reaction to the flirtations being placed on the memory version of himself. He noticed that Ginny had a satisfied smirk on her face as he put his arm around Lottie's waist.

"_I don't think it was my nerve you were trying to get up," he said to the drugged woman. _

_Molly covered her face with her knitting to hide her laughter while the younger people in the room, Harry included, did not even try._

"I should have put that girl over my knee for this stupid stunt!" Severus said, angrily. "I do not wish you to remain, Lucius. I know what is about to happen."

"_Oh shut up. I have to get her to bed."_

The uproarious laughter from the inhabitants of the room was Lucius' cue to leave as he pulled out of the memory. He made sure that Severus hadn't followed him when he, too, had a chuckle at the man's expense.

* * *

**Author's Note: It's been a LONG time in coming but finally I got through both the writer's block for this story AND a month and a half long knee injury that kept me on pain killers way longer than I wanted and those things just killed my creative brain. **

**Anyway, I hope you like this latest chapter. Were you surprised by Severus' choices of resurrections?**

**Please leave a review and I'll answer back as soon as I can. And for those that leave anonymous reviews, thank you all so much! I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. :)**

**Since I probably won't have another chapter up before the Christmas/New Year holidays, I hope everyone has a great season with their friends and families. Please be safe and we'll see you back for early 2013!  
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	10. Memories

Severus walked through the passageway from the main entry of the castle to the courtyard that led to Hagrid's hut and beyond that to the dark forest. It was far less dangerous to travel within the wood since the war.

The Acrumantula were either exterminated or relocated to their ancestral home in the far East where the natural food chain would keep their numbers in check. If any werewolves still resided in the forest, they had retreated even further away from Hogwarts and the Wizard world than before.

The thought of werewolves left Severus to consider Remus Lupin and his condition. It had been less than a day since he, his wife, and the Weasley boy emerged from the archway so he hadn't expected to hear anything about their condition just yet, but he was curious just the same.

He paused at the entrance to the forest as he noted three figures approaching from within. Behind them stood two stationary centaur guardsmen. The first figure was easy to identify. An eight feet tall half giant was not easy to mistake for anyone else. The smallest of the three was his own mate. He knew her gait as well as his own but it took a few more paces before he recognized Kingsley Shacklebolt. They stopped to meet him as they emerged.

"Good morning, Severus," Kingsley greeted warmly. "I take it you're headed to the enclave for the execution?"

"Of course," Severus replied. "Unless there is no longer a reason to go?"

"If you'll pardon me, gentlemen," Lottie interrupted, in an uncharacteristically formal manner. "I wish to continue on to the castle to get some little rest before my girls are awake."

"Yeh wan' me ter come along?" Hagrid asked.

"No, thank you," Lottie replied as she extended her hand to Hagrid and then to Kingsley. "I'll manage on my own. Thank you for allowing me to accompany you this evening. Good night, Minister, Hagrid, Severus."

"It was my honor, Madam," Kingsley replied, chivalrously.

Severus found her tone oddly dull and emotionless and her voice graveled and coarse. He watched her for a moment as she walked towards Hogwarts, her stride looked sluggish and tired. He then returned his attention to Kingsley and Hagrid.

"What changes have occurred?" he asked.

"Your lady asked to exchange information with the centaurs and in return, she requested that the acreage they forfeited be returned to them for hunting purposes," Kingsley explained. "She also asked the seer's life be spared."

"What did she want from the seer that she asked for clemency?" Severus inquired, glancing back toward the path that was now empty.

"Knowledge. Specifically, she wanted the seer to be responsible for teaching your children when they are old enough to comprehend the secrets of the centaurs' magic," Kingsley said. "She said that because Windfall was the cause for your children losing a loving parent that she should be responsible for giving them all the teaching that a parent might in their stead."

Severus couldn't fathom why she would ask for such a thing when he was already on the path of recovery in regards to his memories and she was no longer in danger. The explanation didn't make any sense.

"They weren' too happy abou' tha' demand," Hagrid offered, "But what else could they do but accept it."

"Given the secrecy with which the centaurs like to keep their teachings, that is quite a concession," Severus mused.

"If yeh don' need me, Headmaster, I would like ter turn in?" Hagrid asked.

"Of course, Hagrid," Severus replied. "Good night."

The half giant lumbered into his home while Severus and Kingsley headed back toward the castle now that there was no further need to see the centaurs.

"I thought you might like to know that the Lupins and Fred Weasley are expected to be released from hospital in the morning," Kingsley offered. "They're all doing well and seemingly healthy."

"That's excellent news," Severus replied. "Anything regarding Lupin's condition known yet?"

"Seems to be gone," Kingsley answered. "Of course the real test will be on the next full moon and he will be observed for that, certainly. Even so, I believe that things may not be so dire for him if he should still be afflicted. There is a great call for those discriminatory laws to be abolished, particularly seeing as they were Dolores Umbridge's special projects."

"I will send the Wolfsbane Potion within the week for use in the event it is needed," Severus declared.

"That would be very helpful, Severus," Kingsley said as he extended his hand. "I'll see myself to the gate."

"The Floo would likely be quicker and safer," Severus observed.

"Yes, but fewer busybodies are monitoring my apparating," Kingsley responded with a smile as he headed toward the gate.

Severus continued his path back toward the castle and stopped for a moment to look at the lake with the moonlight shining off the glassy water. He supposed that it would be completely frozen over soon, except for the deepest parts where the squid would stick out an occasional tentacle for some bread or treat that students would throw to it. Soon he was nearing the garden entrance to the apartment where he knew Lottie and the girls were staying.

He slipped quietly into the apartment, which was dim except for the glow of the embers from the fireplace where the cat was stretched out sleeping and making himself at home. The ragged looking animal yawned and lifted his head up to look at Severus before purring and going back to sleep, his now well fed belly protruding from his scrawny body comically.

Ignoring the cat, Severus moved toward the bedroom door and opened it slightly, in case she was already sleeping. He found her staring out of the window, still wearing her cloak. He walked behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. She was shaking.

"I thought you were tired?" he asked. He felt her back stiffen as he moved closer.

"I am. Beyond tired, in fact," she replied. "But too many thoughts are going on in my head tonight."

"At least go by the fire if you're cold," he suggested. "I'll get you a glass of wine. That should soothe the mind and chase away the chill."

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she unclasped her cloak. "You had other things were were attending to."

"I came to look in on my family," he told her as they moved to the sitting room. As she sat on the sofa, the fire roared to life and Severus poured two glasses of wine from a bottle on the table. "Everything else has been taken care of."

"Did you..." she began but stopped herself as he handed her the glass. She took a sip and looked down at her hands. "I mean, you took the stone for a purpose. Is she... Are you happy, Severus?"

He sat down next to her. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Of course, I am happy."

"Then you brought your Lily back," she said, setting her glass on the side table. "I just want to know that you're happy and the girls will be taken care of."

"The only Lily in my life is kipped out in her cot, snoring like a buzzsaw and wearing only one sock, if I know my daughter at all," Severus told her. She looked up into his dark eyes as she searched for the truth of the matter as he whispered, "I remember you, Felicia."

Lottie couldn't contain the overwhelming relief in her heart at the sound of the name she thought she'd never hear him say again. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him in response. He held her tightly until she relaxed in his arms and she laid atop him on the sofa as he continued to hold her.

He wasn't certain how long they stayed entwined that way until he heard one of the girls crying from the nursery, "Dada! Dada! Dada! Dada!"

Lottie sat up and he went in to find Audrina sitting up in her cot. The moment she saw Severus, her little arms reached up to him and she continued her barrage of calling out to her father. He quickly picked her up, hoping that the disturbance didn't wake her sister.

"It's all right, Sweetheart," he said gently. "Daddy is here now. How could I have forgotten my sweet little girls?"

He rocked her in his arms and whispered soothing reassurances to her as he took her to the change table for a fresh nappy. Just as she was finished being changed, Bunnie; Kreacher's niece who worked in the kitchens, appeared with a warmed bottle for the little girl which Severus took and sat with her in the rocking chair.

Everything else that had seemed so important before he walked in the apartment door now felt diminished in comparison to the absolute need his little girl had for him. He settled easily with her as she took the bottle and, after only a little bit of whining, started playing with her hair; as she generally did when she was tired. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and nursed as Severus rocked her. He felt her ease and comfort with him and he knew that she was feeling secure despite the several days' separation.

Once Audrina was sleeping, he placed her on her back in the cot and then went to check on Lily. She was, as he predicted, wearing only one of her socks. The other was clenched in her tiny fist. He wrested the errant sock from her grasp and put it back on her foot before taking her to the change table. Even though she wasn't awake, getting a dry diaper on her was just a good general purpose move.

As he returned to the living room, he noticed Lottie speaking softly as she set what appeared to be a shallow dish on her writing desk beside her journal. Given that he couldn't understand a word she was speaking, he asked, "Who are you talking to?"

"Kostaki," she replied. "The Oracle. His name is Kostaki and he doesn't speak English; only ancient Greek. Why the centaurs thought they'd have a prize of him, I'll never understand."

"Why? Is the language that difficult to learn?" Severus asked.

"No, not really," she said. "Kostaki went senile about two hundred years ago. His proclamations these days have gone from slightly strange down to hilariously absurd. Six years ago, he declared that the Gods required that all sacrificial goats be smeared with jam or Kalidas would sink into the sea."

Severus chuckled. He was tempted to ask about the object further but at that moment, he couldn't think of anything he wanted more than to simply be close to her and it would be dawn far too quickly. He took her hand and led her to the bedroom. "Let's go to bed, Felicia."

After quickly changing into night clothes that had been conveniently laid out, the pair climbed into bed and kept close together to share the warmth of their bodies together. There seemed to be few words that needed to pass between them at that moment. Nestled in behind her, Severus took in the smell of her hair and the faint traces of her perfume. He kissed her neck as he pulled her in close to him.

With a slight groan of wanting, Lottie turned herself in his arms to face him and kissed him while draping her leg over his. She began to reach beneath his nightshirt when a loud, drawn out whine came from the end of the bed. The cat had decided that he'd had enough of sleeping alone in front of the fire and came to see what the two humans were doing. They ignored him at first but a second, longer whine emerged from the small, patchy animal at the end of the bed.

Severus grabbed the black cat, and put him in the front room and closed the bedroom door. He then returned to his waiting lady and their warm bed where he propped himself over her on one arm. They resumed their intimate kissing and tactile exploring. He ran his hand along her chest, teasing her her breasts; when a sudden weight fell upon his back.

The third, and perhaps loudest meow fell into Severus' ear as he jumped in surprise.

"Damn it, Cat. How in the hell did you get back in?" he demanded.

Severus attempted to sit upright to force the cat from his back, but succeeded only in getting the cat's claws dug into his flesh. He growled in aggravation and pain. Lottie moved to one side and sat up as she plucked the little animal from his back while she struggled to regain her breath from laughing.

"It's not funny!" Severus declared. "This cat is destined to rankle my last nerve."

Lottie stroked the cat's ears and he purred in response. "That's not a bad name for him. Rankle. What do you think, cat? Does that suit?"

He nudged his head against her hand for more strokes. It seemed the matter was settled.

"I won't have this animal in our bed," Severus insisted. "It will not happen."

Lottie picked Rankle up from her lap and looked him in the eye. "Look, Rankle. If you interfere with my sex life; I'll have you neutered. Understand?"

He batted at a lock of her hair before she set him on the bed and Rankle jumped down from the bed and squeezed himself through the space between the bottom of the door and the floor.

The mood now entirely broken, Severus contented himself with snuggling with his mate until both fell asleep.

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Author's Note: Yes, this chapter is quite a bit shorter than most of the others but this one felt complete as is and I didn't want to introduce too many other elements. I hope you like it and please leave me a review 'cause I love 'em!


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